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Resident Evil: Retribution

Name: Resident Evil: Retribution
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Released: 2012
Duration: 95 min

Representation Score

6.4/10

Good

2012

Director

Paul W. S. Anderson

Runtime

95 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film presents a striking contrast in its representation. It excels at subverting traditional gender roles, placing a highly capable female protagonist at the center of the action. This central role is a core pillar of the narrative. However, these strengths are offset by a lack of diversity in other areas. The cast is predominantly white, and there is a notable absence of LGBTQ+ characters or meaningful disability representation. The global settings provide an aesthetic variety that the character demographics do not match. Ultimately, the film's progressive value lies in its critique of systemic corporate corruption and its deconstruction of identity, even as it remains narrow in its demographic scope.

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Category Breakdown

Does Resident Evil: Retribution have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not feature any LGBTQ+ characters or narratives. The interpersonal dynamics remain focused on traditional relationships without addressing non-straight or non-cisgender identities.

How does Resident Evil: Retribution portray gender?

Excellent

Alice is the central figure of action, displaying intelligence and physical strength that surpasses her male counterparts. The film avoids the 'damsel in distress' cliché by making the female protagonist the main driver of events.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Resident Evil: Retribution?

Limited

The cast is primarily composed of white actors. Despite setting shifts between Tokyo and Moscow, the central cast remains largely homogeneous and does not reflect a diverse range of backgrounds.

How does Resident Evil: Retribution represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative sharply critiques the oppressive Umbrella Corporation. It employs postmodern themes of simulated reality and cloning to challenge the concept of a stable, singular identity.

Does Resident Evil: Retribution include disability representation?

Limited

The film does not offer any significant or nuanced portrayal of visible or invisible disabilities. Characters are defined by their physical fitness and combat readiness rather than neurodivergence or chronic illness.

Present on Screen

Subverts traditional gender roles by positioning Alice as a dominant, intellectually and physically capable leader.
Provides a sophisticated critique of predatory corporate practices and systemic exploitation.
Explores complex postmodern themes regarding identity and simulated reality through cloning.

Limited or Absent

Lacks racial and ethnic diversity within the central ensemble cast.
Fails to include LGBTQ+ characters or narratives exploring non-straight or non-cisgender identities.
Provides no nuanced representation of disability, neurodivergence, or chronic illness.

Official Synopsis

The Umbrella Corporation’s deadly T-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transforming the global population into legions of the flesh eating Undead. The human race’s last and only hope, Alice, awakens in the heart of Umbrella’s most clandestine operations facility and unveils more of her mysterious past as she delves further into the complex. Without a safe haven, Alice continues to hunt those responsible for the outbreak; a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything that she once thought to be true. Aided by new found allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun.

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