The Panelists:
The Big Revelations: Retribution is the fifth film in the curiously popular franchise — the last film grossed almost $300 million globally — and Anderson described it as “The beginning of the end.” His leading lady (and wife) Jovovich went even further, claiming that Anderson had told her: “I really want to bring this to a closure. If we did do another one, I really want to end this story.” So this could be the penultimate Resident Evil movie, maybe!
Footage Screened: The panel showed off a couple minutes of the climactic action sequence, featuring what Anderson described as “the icy showdown between Alice and Jill Valentine.” The setting looked Arctic, with frozen ships and a craft punching its way through the ice. The scene featured lots of slow-motion acrobatics. More to the point, it featured a lot of Michelle Rodriguez. Her character, Rain, injects herself with a sciencey-looking serum that apparently makes her superstrong and gives her a Wolverine-esque healing factor.
Snap Judgment: According to Anderson, the climactic action sequence will run a total of nine minutes in the final movie, and the trailer already promises carnage in Red Square and Times Square. So “more is more” is the operating philosophy, if you’re a fan of the franchise, then Retribution is everything you’ve always wanted.
Most Incisive Audience Question: Noting that Retribution will introduce Leon Kennedy — a protagonist from the videogame series — one attendee asked Anderson, “Would you ever consider making a spin-off about Leon…without Alice?” Jovovich responded with hilarious mock indignation, before admitting (see Big Revelations) that her days in the franchise may be numbered.
Least Incisive Audience Question: A man dressed in a simply horrendous Buzz Lightyear outfit asked Michelle Rodriguez: “In terms of the Resident Evil series, would you ever consider having sex with me?” The always game Rodriguez laughed and then responded with a brilliant stream-of-consciousness takedown: “You remind me of this guy I used to live next to. He was blasted off his bonkers bazoo, and he was in his backyard doing something really horrible to himself. I had to call the cops. I had a sword in one hand and my .45 that Sam Jackson gave me for S.W.A.T., and I remember looking at him through the glass and laughing at him. And you look so much like him and it’s freaking me out.”
Winner of the Panel: Michelle Rodriguez is some kind of national treasure, and for proof, here are five other awesome/hilarious/totally random things she said during the panel.
—(on her respect for Milla Jovovich as an action heroine): “Leeloo did it for me! Milla was doing that s— way before I even started. I started in a little movie called Girlfight, but I was already watching Milla kick ass and take names. I gotta lotta respect for this Russian hardcore broad right here.”
–(on her history with the franchise): “I begged Paul’s ass, as soon as I saw they were making a movie years ago, ’cause I loved the videogame. I’m just so glad you shot me in the head and then brought me back.”
—(on female action heroes and the British-inflected feminism of Paul W. S. Anderson): “It’s rare that an American man director would have that open-mindedness about having a female lead, and fight the way Paul did. You know what I mean? Big ups to you, I give you mad love for that, Paul.”
—(on her financial situation and why the kind words of a questioner inspire her to go on despite her financial situation): “After awhile of busting your butt and not making that much dough doing it, you kind of wonder why you do it? And you just proved it right there.”
—-(on her fitness regimen) “I gyrate a lot. Keeps me fit. I dance. Party.”
Follow Darren on Twitter: @EWDarrenFranich
Read more:
‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ trailer — Zombies and Milla Jovovich in bondage gear
‘Resident Evil 6′ coming in November: Watch the trailer! (Plus: Pics from the new ‘Resident Evil’ movie!)
Poll: Who’s your all-time favorite female film badass?
