Game Review: Resident Evil 3 (2020)

Resident Evil, better known as "Biohazard" in Japan, is one of my favorite video game franchises of all time. The first game of the series, released in 1996, was the title that convinced me to buy a Sony Playstation - and I was intrigued by its plot because the setting was in an isolated mansion and you had to battle your way through hordes of monstrous zombies and other biological monstrosities created in a secret laboratory underneath the premises.Since then I was hooked, and have been a loyal follower of the mainline series that started the genre of "Survival Horror" - until series director Shinji Mikami took things in a different direction in 2004 with the critically acclaimed "Resident Evil 4". That game was great and gave us a different kind of biological mystery in that universe - but it also started the "Survival Action" era of sequels that would be radically different from past RE games, with Resident Evil 6 serving as the entry that saw the series "completely lose its identity" until 2017's Resident Evil 7 brought things back to Survival Horror.

Fast forward to today's gaming generation, and we get a brand new Resident Evil game in the third installment of the remake trilogy - the "Resident Evil 3 Remake". Last year saw a triumphant return to old school with the "Resident Evil 2 Remake" - a perfect blend of the "Over-The-Shoulder" style action gameplay of RE4, the tension, inventory management, and puzzle-solving of the original RE games, and the power and amazing graphics of the "RE Engine" that was first used in RE7. What we got was a 2019 reimagining of the Raccoon City Outbreak adventure and new versions of Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they tried to survive and escape from the zombies and biological experiments that plagued the city. That game exceeded expectations and was a critical comeback for the series - but how does RE3 fair as an entry that follows over a year after this hit? Well depending on your preferences and stance as a gamer and Resident Evil fan, that answer may vary and may very well define your experience with the game.

As a long time fan and having played the original RE3 back in 1999, it was a no brainer for me to pick up the game - and I got it physically and digitally as soon as Pre-Orders opened. Thanks to my digital purchase of the Deluxe Edition, I got the game on Day 1 (April 3) and finished it the next day. It's relatively fast paced and I'll discuss it in detail below. Due to the trying times however, my Collector's Edition of RE3 with the Jill Statue will have to wait until things get back to normal. For now, here's my review... And SPOILERS will obviously be discussed on this review, so be warned and read on if you need some opinions coming from an RE guy.

Movie Review: Bloodshot

There's no shortage of superhero movies in this day and age thanks to the advent of technology and a well of ideas to adapt into feature films. Whether it's a hero dressed in a vigilante suit or a regular person lucky enough to be endowed with special powers, there's a plot or twist that's capable of making them into something more than just your average joe... But what if it's some guy who was assassinated only to be brought back through nanotechnology and hungry to exact vengeance? That's exactly the type of hero Vin Diesel plays as he brings to life the Valiant Comics hero called "Bloodshot" - and it's an exact fit for an action star of his caliber.

Thanks to Columbia Pictures Philippines, I got to see the new film that serves as a doorway to a possible Valiant Cinematic Universe, with Diesel's character serving as the progenitor to the potential new series of superhero films. If you've watched movies like "Universal Soldier", "Terminator", and "Robocop", this is in the same league as those classic sci-fi hits and shows us a guy who is neither a boy scout nor a pure soul to begin with. As we follow the character of Ray Garrison and his unwitting conversion into a superhuman killing machine, we also see a man trying to make sense of his past while dealing with a conspiracy that blurs the line between what is real and what is fiction.

BLOODSHOT - International Trailer #2
As someone who barely has a passing knowledge of the character other than seeing issues of Valiant Comics back in the 90's, Diesel gives his typical tough guy demeanor and intensity into playing a walking nanotechnology wonder - who can literally heal from mortal wounds even after being shot point blank in the face with a shotgun. It's as sci-fi and straightforward as it comes, and here's my initial movie reactions expressing that sentiment.

Movie Reactions: Bloodshot (2020)
Directed by David S. F. Wilson and also co-starring the lovely Eiza Gonzalez and talented Guy Pearce, Bloodshot is superhero film material that doesn't go fancy and tries to keep things simple and familiar. Fast and Furious fans will be happy to know Vin Diesel is still his gritty self and delivers just what you'd expect, so if you're looking for that kind of action, this is made for you. While the editing can be messy and all over the place and the plot is fairly predictable, we need to remember it's a popcorn flick that will entertain anyone looking to escape from reality and dive into something brainless and fun.

Bloodshot is NOW SHOWING and is distributed by Columbia Pictures Philippines.

Movie Review: Onward

Imagine a world of fantasy, mythical creatures, mgic, and full of adventure... But then technology and life come along and that gets pushed into near extinction. That's the universe Disney and Pixar transport us to in their latest animated film offering "Onward" - which is absolutely fun and a love letter to those who love adventure games and fantasy fiction! It's a treat to see these kinds of films still being made when we're so used to seeing modern day heroes and machinery all but take the spotlight in adventure films, and now we are reminded of the importance of embracing our childhood fantasies and sense of adventure, as well as treasuring the things we have that make us the people who we are today.

Thanks to Disney Philippines, I was able to catch a special advance screening of "Onward" on IMAX a few weekends ago - and it's definitely something you need to take your family and friends to - especially if you love going on a quest and play adventure games like Dungeons & Dragons! This is Pixar's love letter to the latter, and also incorporates the values and lessons we can learn from Disney films - most especially when it comes to family, gaining self-confidence, and realizing what we're looking for is right in front of us in plain sight!

Featuring the voices of Marvelous stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt (and Octavia Spencer as the Manticore!), "Onward" tells the story of two brothers names Ian and Barley Lightfoot - who embark on a quest to restore their Dad after a resurrection spell goes awry and leaves their father literally only half the man he was! As Ian just turned 16, it is a personal mission for him to get to know the father he never met (his Dad passed away before he was born), and Barley (who happens to be an enthusiastic role-playing game fanatic) makes it his goal to help his little brother fulfil that goal while also teaching him the long forgotten history of adventure and how to become a magician. What follows is an adventure set in a world very much like ours that is full of mythical creatures that have adapted to modern society, yet still holds many unique secrets and the potential to bring back the magic and wonder of fantasy that was long thought forgotten.

Disney and Pixar's Onward | Trailer #3
Whether you have played a game like Dungeons & Dragons, watched movies like The Lord of the Rings, or read novels like The Witcher - you will definitely love everything about "Onward" as it plays deep into that fantasy nostalgia while giving us the growing pains and truths of life we embrace and experience everyday. Ian and Barley, as well as the family and friends they interact and encounter in this film, are like the people we meet every day who want to be with the people they love and make something of themselves. It's especially true for Ian - our hero of the story who learns he has the "gift" of being a spellcaster and is determined to meet the father he never knew. Meanwhile Barley is the adventurer who rebels against society's expectations and embraces his interests in magic and fantasy. Although the journey is perilous and full of risks, both brothers get to know each other, and we as the audience experience the emotions and realizations the two siblings have about themselves and one another as they quest to get dear old Dad back together for one day.

Highly recommended and definitely fun to see in a big screen like IMAX, "Onward" starts playing in theaters in the Philippines on March 4! Go see it and be on an adventure with the whole gang!

Rating - 5/5