Dystopian movies and "Resident Evil: Extinction"
Dystopian movies are very popular with audiences since they are able to transcend the limits of reality as they are set in a limitless and futuristic landscape. "Resident Evil: Extinction" is a film which features a host of popular characters in its cast such as Christopher Egan, Linden Ashby, Jason O'Mara, and Milla Jovovich (Mulcahy). The film is set in a post-apocalyptic world where a virus from an international corporation called Umbrella Corp has infected the human and animal populations turning them into zombies with Jovovich's blood being the key to finding a cure (Mulcahy). Overall, the film was both interesting and entertaining to watch due to the unpredictability of the storyline and an immersive set design that captured my imagination.
Evaluation of Set Design
It is the design of the film set that is most impactful to the storyline as it correctly depicts a post-apocalyptic world and assists in advancing the story and its characters. The set of the film was well designed because it utilized real desert landscapes to depict a post-apocalyptic Salt Lake City that has been ravaged by destruction and had fallen into a state of disrepair.
An example of this was the opening scene which features a solitary house that was surrounded by zombies in a dusty and featureless desert landscape (Mulcahy). The design of this setting was very realistic which may have been due to the set being in an actual desert as well as the proper design of the infrastructure such as the house and furniture which had a weathered appearance. It gave a sense of abandonment and neglect with the presence of a horde of zombies at a nearby fence serving as an explanation for the condition the house as well as the dusty abandoned landscape.
This dusty environment contrasts the sleek appearance of the underground laboratory where we are first introduced to Doctor Isaacs and Umbrella corporation, it is this juxtaposition which enhances the effect of the devastation on the surface (Mulcahy). The juxtaposition continues throughout the movie and enhances the post-apocalyptic theme by depicting how the world should be against how it is.
Jovovich's opening scene in the desert also demonstrates how well the set was designed because of the sunny and desolate landscape which enhanced the apocalyptic theme of the film. As Jovovich rides a motorcycle into the desert, the landscape gives off a dark and sinister mood as she narrated about the zombie apocalypse. Shooting most of the scenes in the desolate desert environments increased the authenticity of the film's scenes as well as heightening the danger.
Conclusion
I found the film to be very entertaining which was occasioned by the storyline that depicted how the world would look like when humanity was pushed to the limits of survival after a major catastrophe occurred. It was intriguing to see the world come close to the brink of extinction with a few survivors fighting to restore humanity. The overall quality of the film was good due to a superior cast, interesting storyline, good directing, and proper set design which was very realistic resulting in an immersive experience. I would recommend this film to anyone who appreciates dystopian science fiction because "Resident Evil: Extinction" is a good representative of the genre.
Work Cited
Mulcahy, Russell, Director. Resident Evil: Extinction. Constantin Film, 2007.
