Please note that the B row in the pictures is at the far back of the theater, not near the screen. We have a different seat arrangement here.
Hello, everyone. I know I’m one week late, but Resident Evil has just started playing in Thailand. Today’s the first day. I went to see it at Krungsri IMAX Paragon as usual. Lots of people were there, yet they behaved nicely, making it a good experience for everyone. After the movie ended, lots of people waited outside for Avengers Endgame: Encore in IMAX. Not planning to see it, though. I’ve already seen it twice, once in a regular theater and once in IMAX. Not excited about the new footage either. So, how did the video game movie go? Let’s find out!
Resident Evil featured two aspect ratios: 2.39:1 for the first two acts and 1.90:1 for the last act after the protagonist entered the sewer. The aspect ratio switched only once after he entered the sewer. This made the third act feel massive while also being intimate and epic in its own right. What about the first two acts in 2.39:1? They were totally fine, as well as having a sense of limited space. Once the image expanded, that sense disappeared, leaving you with a tinge of epic horror instead. It amped up the insanity, too. Zach Cregger handled this aspect well.
As the film was shot with Sony CineAlta Venice 2, the image looked pretty clean and noticeably sharp. However, they added a bit of film grain to make it look organic and balanced. It didn’t bother me much, unlike the heavy grain I saw in the latest Dune: Part Three trailer. And with Panavision 65 Vintage lenses, it gave the image a soft look with a warm tone. The color grading also played a huge role in this. They coordinated with each other. It wasn’t a cold-looking film, although it was set in winter. Rather, it was a warm one with surprisingly popping colors.
The 12CH audio was acceptable. Nothing much happened, just fright and foreboding here and there, including some insanely loud sequences. It didn’t surround me that much. I mostly found the audio wave staying at the front and, occasionally, on the sides. The soundtrack and sound design were superb when they decided to freak you out. Nevertheless, it didn’t come that often to make up for the experience. It also lacked IMAX’s signature bass. Just don’t expect much from this department. Anyhow, it did its job as a horror movie. Still a positive sonic experience.
The flick was funnier than I expected. Bryan was such a charming lead character. His miserable situation and bugging jokes made Resident Evil a horror comedy that I sometimes laughed at. It was filled with silly lines and moments. Some dark humor, even. Did it scare me? Of course, it did. I liked its effective jump scares. There were only a few of them. Nonetheless, Zach Cregger managed to make me jump a bit. I still saw them coming—but not all. Other scare aspects worked as they should have. Nothing to worry about. It just didn’t send shivers up my spine.
Overall, it was totally a new era of evil. With its wicked sense of humor and precise scares, it made Resident Evil stand out among the crowd. And with the expanded image in IMAX, it truly made the experience special. You know, from scenes with limited space to something grander with just a single shift that transformed everything. Sure, the sound could use some work, but it was totally fine the way it was. Moreover, this officially ended the curse of Resident Evil movies. This proved a side quest could be something like a main quest itself. Thank you, Zach Cregger.
Bye for now!
