F

Review of Resident Evil: Death Island: What a Mess

Sun Jun 29 2025

Is Resident Evil: Death Island a Complete Disaster? A Deep Dive

The Resident Evil CG movie franchise, once a reliable source of adrenaline-pumping thrills and zombie chaos, has unfortunately taken a nosedive in recent years. The promise of seamless action and beloved characters has slowly faded, replaced by questionable plotlines and inconsistent character portrayals. The latest installment, Resident Evil: Death Island, unfortunately, continues this downward trend.

A Plot That Makes Little Sense

The plot of Resident Evil: Death Island lacks coherent motivation, with villains making illogical transitions.

The narrative hinges on Rondi, a former Umbrella security operative deeply affected by his experiences during the Raccoon City outbreak. Tasked with rescuing high-ranking officials, he was forced to eliminate a bitten teammate. This incident supposedly triggers a spiral into misanthropy, leading him to inherit the resources of the villain Arias from Vendetta. He then embarks on a new campaign of viral terror, only to be predictably thwarted by our heroic ensemble. The problem lies in the nonsensical motivation. How does one traumatic incident lead to generalized hatred of all humanity? It feels like a flimsy justification for villainy. Rondi’s depiction as an unhinged individual, casually engaging in Russian roulette, further weakens the already thin narrative.

The climax is equally perplexing. During the final confrontation, Rondi, seemingly anticipating his own downfall, abandons his bio-drones and his secretary, Maria, despite holding a tactical advantage. In a bizarre turn of events, he suddenly commits suicide and transforms into a grotesque monster. The film stretches to an hour and a half, but the core plot could be compressed into a mere twenty minutes, with the rest feeling like wasteful filler.

Protagonist Personalities: Missed the Mark

Leon S. Kennedy, usually a beacon of competence, is brought in to capture Dr. Antonio Taylor, resulting in a high-speed chase with Maria. In an unbelievable sequence, Leon’s vehicle is completely wrecked, and he loses his target. This is attribute to Maria’s impossible skills, putting her on par with Alice from the live-action Resident Evil films, a comparison that highlights just how far the film strays from established canon. Leon’s eventual victory against Maria feels largely due to luck, painting a picture where mere survival against her initial assault seems an enormous feat. In this movie, even multiple Leons might not stand a chance.

Leon Kennedy, often portrayed as competent, is depicted as underpowered.

Jill Valentine: A Visual Highlight in an Otherwise Disappointing Film

Fortunately, not all aspects are equally flawed. Jill Valentine’s character design, drawing inspiration from the Resident Evil 1 remake, serves as a visual highlight. However, even Jill’s portrayal suffers from inconsistency. Her combat prowess fluctuates wildly; she struggles against basic zombies at times, yet effortlessly dispatches hordes with a single knife on other occasions.

Jill’s design remains faithful and serves as a visual high point.

Chris Redfield: A Rollercoaster of Intelligence

Chris Redfield’s combat skills remain predictably consistent, showcasing his usual firearm expertise. Unfortunately, his intelligence appears to vary wildly.

The final boss fight is a cringeworthy example of this. Claire and Rebecca each launch an RPG, while Chris fires an M202 quad rocket launcher twice. After casually noting that the monster “doesn’t want to die,” he grabs Jill and retreats. He later returns with an M60, while Jill switches from a rifle to a Saiga-12K shotgun, both opting for distant potshots. Meanwhile, Leon leaps onto the monster and attacks it with a jackhammer.

Claire and Rebecca: Unfortunate Characterizations

Perhaps the most jarring misstep is the depiction of ordinary people within the Resident Evil universe. The film, set after the events of Resident Evil 6, features individuals seemingly unaware of the existence of zombies.

Rebecca’s primary issue is her inconsistent visual appearance. Supposedly modeled after Ayumi Hamasaki, her appearance shifts erratically, appearing unappealing. Even more troubling is the fact that when standing alongside Claire and Jill, she looks relatively old, while Jill looks the yougest.

This ultimately leads to a preposterous sequence. When Rebecca lands on Alcatraz, the Lickers fail to recognize her, leading to the massacre of the fully armed special forces team. Bizarre how Rebecca, armed with nothing but a vaccine and zero combat skills, survives unscathed.

Rebecca’s character design suffers from a lack of consistency.

Final Thoughts

Resident Evil: Death Island, despite bringing together a beloved cast of characters, unfortunately, fails to deliver. Lacking a compelling story or any genuine nostalgia, and coupled with the absence of the fan-favorite Ada Wong, it easily ranks among the weakest entries in the Resident Evil CG movie series. It is disheartening to witness such a misstep from Capcom.

Resident Evil: Death Island is considered one of the worst entries to the series.