Resident Evil: Degeneration | 2008
Resident Evil: Degeneration is a movie for fans, starring Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as the main characters. The story is set against the backdrop of a bioterror attack at an airport and an explosion at a pharmaceutical company, "WilPharma," involving biological disasters and the forces trying to exploit them. The plot is set one year after the events of Resident Evil 4, and while it holds significant meaning for fans, its quality as a feature film is somewhat lacking.
The movie follows typical action movie elements. For example, all the people that the protagonists randomly encounter are deeply connected to the events, and there are scenes where characters narrowly avoid explosions, which feel overly coincidental. The characters themselves are very stereotypical. The villains look bad from the start, and characters with sinister motives are clearly revealed to be plotting something, which is a very direct approach.
In terms of graphics, the movie also has its shortcomings. The CG cinematics in the early 2000s Warcraft 3 are of higher quality, and the character models and animations exhibit a "uncanny valley" effect. The main characters move so stiffly that they almost look like zombies when they walk slowly.
The plot itself feels awkward as a feature film, and at times it resembles a 90-minute game CG movie. The music, visuals, and editing also strongly resemble the style of a game’s CGI. However, for fans of the game, it is seen as a good movie that fills the gap after Resident Evil 4, and it has received higher ratings on IMDb compared to other Hollywood Resident Evil films. Opinions between fans and non-fans are divided, but for fans, it remains a significant piece of the Resident Evil series.
In the latter half of the film, the pharmaceutical company's facilities and its gimmicks are impressive. The intimidating appearance of a G-virus infected person, which wasn't seen in the game, is well depicted, and this part provided a great deal of satisfaction to fans. Although the film lacks polish, it demonstrates the potential of a fan-made CG movie and is positively regarded.
Given its decent box office performance, a sequel, Resident Evil: Damnation, was released in 2012, followed by Resident Evil: Vendetta and Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness. In the sequels, CG quality improved, and motion capture technology made the characters' movements more natural. Damnation and Degeneration have since been reevaluated, with opinions still divided among fans.
The film takes place 7 years after Resident Evil 2 and 1 year after Resident Evil 4. Although Umbrella has gone bankrupt, the viruses they created still remain, and the world is in chaos due to the threat of bioterrorism. In response, the United States introduces a bioterrorism eradication program, with a new pharmaceutical company, WilPharma, participating in the project. WilPharma builds a state-of-the-art research facility called "Airdome" in Harvardville, with full support from Congressman Ron Davis.
However, Dr. Curtis Miller opposes the development of Airdome and is later indicted as voices grow louder demanding an investigation into WilPharma's bioterror experiments in India. Meanwhile, the civilian group TerraSave protests against WilPharma and the resignation of Congressman Ron Davis. Claire Redfield arrives in Harvardville as part of TerraSave and witnesses a zombie outbreak at the airport. During the chaos, she spots Curtis Miller, but the pursuit is interrupted by a plane crash. With the situation being deemed a bioterror attack, Claire waits for the Special Response Team (SRT) to arrive, and Leon S. Kennedy is sent in to help.
After escaping the airport together, Claire and Leon help each other out, but Congressman Ron Davis selfishly escapes first, causing Claire to lose the chance to save Lanny. Later, at a crisis camp, Claire meets Frederick Downing, a top researcher at WilPharma. He explains that he was the creator of the T-virus vaccine, and that the bio-experiment in India involved dealing with the T-virus spread by terrorists, which resulted in the development of a successful vaccine. He also mentions that the delay in vaccine distribution was due to protests from TerraSave.
Claire and Leon visit WilPharma but soon hear that Curtis Miller has infiltrated the company, so they chase after him. However, a bomb explodes in Airdome, severely injuring Claire. Leon later learns that Curtis Miller, after being injected with the G-virus, mutated and killed all the military personnel. After a fierce battle, Leon defeats Curtis Miller, and Claire finds a video recording of his mutated form in the Airdome control room.
In the end, it is revealed that Frederick Downing masterminded the entire plot. He manipulated Curtis Miller to carry out the bioterror attacks at the airport and WilPharma in order to escape with the T-virus vaccine and combat data. Downing is arrested, and Leon and Claire oversee his capture as the case comes to a close. WilPharma eventually goes bankrupt, and both Congressman Ron Davis and General Grandle pay for their crimes.
However, just when it seems the story has concluded, Congressman Ron Davis is assassinated, and the final scene shows a part of Curtis G being harvested by Tricell from the Airdome, hinting that the events are far from over.
