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Resident Evil: Retribution

Resident Evil: Retribution

Evil goes global.

201295 minRMidcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Director
Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring
Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Michelle Rodriguez, Aryana Engineer

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.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Resident Evil: Retribution?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Resident Evil: Retribution streaming on Netflix and Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Resident Evil: Retribution?

Resident Evil: Retribution earns 5 badges, led by Overhyped and Box Office Hit.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Resident Evil: Retribution worth watching?

Resident Evil: Retribution's Midcredits score is the 24th percentile of all films, from 315K ratings across 6 sources. 32% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

24th percentile

Better received than 24% of films

38th percentile among Action25th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)26th

53 /100

25th percentile of all films

39th percentile among Action27th percentile among 2010s

Critics 39 · Audience 54

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

32% liked it

26th percentile of all films

39th percentile among Action25th percentile among 2010s
32% rated it 7–1068% rated it 1–6

Critics 28% · Audience 51%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 6 noms overall

92nd percentile

315K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Action93rd percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 2% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$65M
Opening weekend$21M
Domestic gross$42M
Worldwide gross$240M

Returned 3.7× its budget — 92nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

This is a mindless, video-game-like action movie where logic and story take a back seat to non-stop spectacle.

Fans praised

  • relentless action spectacle
  • impressive visual effects and 3D
  • game-accurate character cameos (Ada, Leon, Barry)

Detractors panned

  • non-existent plot and logic
  • wooden acting and cringe dialogue
  • over-reliance on slow-motion and CGI

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive70

polished CGI and large-scale action set-pieces

PacingDivisive65

relentless forward momentum despite episodic structure

Cinematography65

slick but overused slow-motion and 3D gimmicks

Acting45

Milla Jovovich's charisma vs stilted supporting cast

CharactersDivisive30

thinly written, one-note game cameos

Originality25

recycled monsters and set-pieces from previous films

Plot and story20

series of action set-pieces with no coherent narrative

Dialogue20

minimal, exposition-heavy, robotic delivery

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Resident Evil: Retribution like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want to be scared.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingTenseDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsExuberant · 2% of films: Bursting with energy and joy in its own filmmaking.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its over-the-top action and video-game logic with earnest intensity, embracing the absurd premise.
The rideThe film maintains a constant high-octane, perilous atmosphere with frequent set pieces and a sense of imminent threat.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from capture to escape to final battle.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film delivers high-octane, mindless action that entertains but leaves little lasting impression beyond the adrenaline.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

Why this archetypeAlice must escape an Umbrella facility while protecting a young clone, aided by a team infiltrating the base.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalIdentity · 14% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Alice fighting to survive against overwhelming odds, while also exploring her protective bond with Becky and the fluid nature of her identity amid clones and manipulations.
StanceThe film celebrates Alice's relentless survival and heroic resistance against overwhelming corporate evil.

The world

Near futureUrbanInstitutionalSuburbanScience fiction
ElectronicOrchestral modernSupportive music · original score · tomandandy
SettingA post-apocalyptic world overrun by the T-virus, with key scenes in a cloned suburban simulation and a fortified White House in Washington, D.C.
MusicThe score blends pounding electronic beats with orchestral surges to heighten action sequences.

Content guide

Is Resident Evil: Retribution okay for kids?

R

Resident Evil: Retribution is rated R: “Rated R for sequences of strong violence throughout” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (90/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at mild (30/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (32/100) and frightening material at intense (60/100). Overall it is heavier than 42% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 26 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15A
  • New ZealandR
  • South Korea18
  • Brazil16
  • Belgium18
  • BGD
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • GreeceΚ-18
  • Hungary18
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland18
  • RO15
  • Russia18+
  • SK12
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
  • Taiwan輔12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 65% of all filmsHeavier than 42% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 84%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 27%
Profanity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 5%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 22%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Resident Evil: Retribution have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Resident Evil: Retribution?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Milla Jovovich
as Alice
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Sienna Guillory
as Jill Valentine
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michelle Rodriguez
as Rain
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Aryana Engineer
as Becky
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bingbing Li
as Ada Wong
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Boris Kodjoe
as Luther West
Johann Urb
as Leon S. Kennedy
Robin Kasyanov
as Sergei
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kevin Durand
as Barry Burton
Ofilio Portillo
as Tony
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Resident Evil: Retribution?

Movies like Resident Evil: Retribution include Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) and Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Paul W.S. Anderson, and most are dystopian films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: post-apocalyptic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Resident Evil: Retribution?

291 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: robot or ai. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.