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“Resident Evil: Vendetta” Tears Live Action to Shreds

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Most people who know me know to avoid the subject of the Resident Evil live action movies. If you have three hours to kill, by all means, tell me why the live action movie is better than the games and I’ll spend three hours telling you why you’re wrong. But, thankfully, we’re not here to talk about the live action abominations but the newly released animated movie, Resident Evil: Vendetta. Spoilers ahead…and away we go.

Resident Evil: Vendetta

Chris Redfield, Rebecca Chambers and Leon S. Kennedy. Photo courtesy kupaman.com

This Capcom approved installment takes place between the events of Resident Evil 6 and 7 games. It follows a much angrier Leon S. Kennedy, a much leaner and different-faced (but still different than RE7) Chris Redfield and the smart as a whip but still adorable Rebecca Chambers. Chris is on a mission to find and eliminate a bio-weapon arms dealer named Glenn Arias, who is on his own mission for revenge against the government after his family and new wife were bombed during their wedding.

Arias has developed a new strain of virus called the A-Virus which, in three steps, allows Arias to infect those of his choosing, wait until he is ready for the virus to activate and attack people he has chosen. Needless to say, in the wrong hands, this is a very powerful weapon.

Resident Evil: Vendetta

Photo courtesy of finnkino.fr

Rebecca is a professor specializing in vaccine development and finds that the first step of the virus is infecting the population via drinking water. Step two is vaccinating those you don’t want infected once the trigger initiates. The last step is to trigger the infection via gas. She also finds that it is connected to the Los Illuminados cult and their development of Los Plagas, which ties the universe of the movie to RE5.

The universe is also tied to RE6 via the interaction between Chris and Leon. RE6 is the first time, onscreen anyway, that Leon and Chris interact in person and work together. During Resident Evil: Vendetta, the familiarity is definitely there and it snuggles in nicely between the events of 6 and 7. We will know more after the “Not a Hero” DLC comes out…hopefully.

Resident Evil: Vendetta

Chris and Leon teaming up against the terrorists. Photo courtesy of fathomevents.com

That didn’t spoil TOO much of the film but its ties to the games’ universe is important. With so much mystery surrounding Resident Evil: Biohazard, every little bit helps. With the new game, many signs point to Chris looking for something or someone and this movie leaves open the possibility for that to happen.

Now, let’s get into the look of this movie. Its damn gorgeous is what it is. I find it funny and infuriating that a live action movie with the budget of more than what most people will make in their entire lifetime can’t pop out a decent video game adaptation but the animated version absolutely kills it. Certain shots, like those looking at security footage are so tight and realistic that I forget I’m watching an animated movie.

Now, Resident Evil: Vendetta isn’t without its flaws. Photos in the movie still look overly cartoon-y and mouth movement can sometimes be very robotic but can we PLEASE talk about the fight scenes? These are the BEST fight scenes I have seen in anywhere. There are some big shoes to fill, I know, but watch the scene where Chris is fighting a horde in the lab of Arias and you will see what I’m talking about.

Resident Evil: Vendetta

Chris and Leon fighting zombies in Arias’s lab. Photo courtesy duniaki.net

Chris’s movements are smooth as butter and actually believable. His leaner stature makes it seem natural that he would be faster and more nimble. Leon, being ever the drama queen, comes in with his motorcycle moves that are just so extra but he’s Leon goddamn Kennedy and we expect nothing less.

I must also mention, however, the gunfight between Chris and Arias. For those of you who play FPS games like Battlefield, this gunfight reminds me of shooting my gun and realizing that someone has put my movement sensitivity too high and I end up shooting in circles and hit everything besides what I’m aiming at. Now have two guys trying to shoot each other with their sensitivity all the way up and you have the fight scene. All it was missing was the Benny Hill theme music.

Resident Evil: Vendetta

The slapstick gunfight between Chris and Arias. Image courtesy of hitek.fr

A bigger surprise than the facelift is the change in the very distinct voice of Chris Redfield. Since RE5, he has been voiced by Roger Craig Smith. In Resident Evil: Vendetta, he is voiced by Kevin Dorman and in RE7, he is voiced by David Vaughn. It would seem that Capcom might be having an existential or middle aged crisis right now.

Glenn Arias is voiced by John DeMita, who is no stranger to Japanese animation and is used often in Myazaki movies. Rebecca is voiced by Erin Cahill and Leon is voiced by Leon veteran (he voiced Leon in RE: Damnation and RE6) Matthew Mercer.

The movie was produced by Capcom and Marza Animation Company in Japan. Resident Evil: Vendetta is the third in the canon animated movies following Resident Evil: Degeneration and Resident Evil: Damnation.

Overall, I was super impressed with this movie. The movement was smooth and seamless, the story was standard Resident Evil but not dry. There were a couple moments in the movie where I thought the cheesiness factor was a bit high (especially when Arias’s B.O.W.s were introduced) but not so much as to discount the rest of the movie. I highly recommend this installment in the Resident Evil universe.

If you want to check out the trailer before you see the movie, you can watch it here. To see the evolution of Chris Redfield, we have an article for that too, and for latest news on the reboot of the live action movies, check that out here. This film is only available digitally at this time but you can pre-order the blu ray now.

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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