The Hive. A secret research facility buried deep within the bowels of the earth. Red Queen. A supercomputer designed to maintain environmental control over The Hive. Alice. A wandering amnesiac. This is Women Who Wow Wednesday.
There’s only one other badass chick who could even come close to Alice, and that’s Beatrix Kiddo of Quentin Tarantino‘s Kill Bill movies. Wait a minute. Correction. Hit-Girl definitely is in the same league as Alice, zombie killer extraordinaire.
She once played Leeloo in the 1997 movie The Fifth Element. However when Milla Jovovich took on the role of Alice in the Resident Evil franchise, she guaranteed her place in film history as the go-to character for zombie eradication.
Originally connected to director/producer George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead, and Dawn of the Dead), Resident Evil blew away the box office in March 2002 taking in $102 Million worldwide. Not bad for a $33 Million budget. Based on the 1996 video game, the film spawned four sequels, a CG movie, countless other video games, and a novelization called Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy.
Besides dancers hired to play zombies and dogs that couldn’t keep their makeup on (they kept eating their blood and meat costumes), what’s the big deal with Resident Evil?
Alice.
The audience is never quite sure what to make of her. She can pound a zombie to a mush of goo but also can slink across a floor in her most vulnerable, naked state. Proficient in firearms and hand-to-hand combat, Alice’s greatest strength is not her physical skill sets, though she may take on a hoard of undead single handedly, but her penchant for keeping her team safe. The very team sent to destroy Red Queen, The Hive’s supercomputer.
As the film and the series progresses, it becomes obvious Alice is not like other females. She possesses a degree of cunning that always matches her sad countenance. Her eyes give away her heart’s loneliness, even in the course of arms flaying, bullets flying, knives wounding, and heads rolling. She is superhuman. Why? How did it happen? What made her that way? Who gave her that power?
The key with Alice is the welfare of others. No matter how bad things get, zombies could crash through a door, smash through a window, tear apart walls and attack from all sides, Alice focuses on one thing and one thing only—how can she help the others. Nothing else distracts this vicious vixen of voracious vindication.
Others first. Her last.
There’s almost an element of religion with Alice. It’s as if she knows the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
Have you seen Resident Evil? What do you think of Alice? Although not called zombies in the film, what do you think of the creatures?
Looking to God 
I fell in love with the Resident Evil games (& Alice) back in the day, so of course loved the movies. I think Michelle Rodriguez should get honorable mention too (a post about her as Rain Ocampo or for the roles she plays in movies). Anyway, I can’t wait to play Resident Evil 6!
Loved the first two movies, and she was a huge part of why. Hated, hated, hated the third, enough that despite hearing great things from trusted sources, I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch 4 & 5.
Great write up on a fun character, though. Really like this series.
Alice is one of the greatest of all time. Great post.
I have a cat names after Alice because, even at 3 weeks old & the runt of the litter, she was the boldest, toughest, yet most loving of the bunch. She is a tortoiseshell, which are almost always female & small in stature. She is still the bad-a** cat aquivalent of her namesake to theis day. I love these movies (though I am getting a bit bored with the sameness of the plight in every subsequent installment), & I love the character of Alice. Milla Jovovich is amazing in this role. She reminds me of Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley in the Alien franchise.
I haven’t seen this, but you make it sound very intriguing…
Big Alice fan in movies one and two!
Alice is amazing! I love that character.
Reblogged this on Books, Booze & Beauty.
Thanks so much for the reblog, Lakeshia! I’m so glad you’re enjoying Women Who Wow Wednesday!
No prob. You’re welcome!
As usual, you always pick characters I simply admire and enjoy seeing on scene. I’ve seen almost all of the Resident Evil movies. Actually I watched one the other night. Apparently they are financially successful because they keep pumping them out. The thing I like about Milla Jovovich is that she isn’t afraid of the gritty roles. She kicks ass like nobody else. Are we allowed to suggest women? I nominate Sanaa Lathan from the Predator vs Alien movie. I hate to say it but you typically don’t see black women in those type of roles. I really enjoyed that movie. If you haven’t seen it, you should watch it. 🙂
Here you go, Lakeshia: http://jackflacco.com/2013/03/13/avp-alexa-woods/ 🙂
I like this very much!!!!! 🙂
I love your women who wow Wednesdays!! and yes I love Milla as Alice. She is Alice! great write up
My fave series is Resident Evil Jack! Alice is a really good character but then with Retribution it was even better..they cast really well the roles of Ada and Leon. Love them all! As much as the movies (except the first) is really acting wise in the “so bad its good” category…I still find its extremely entertaining and most of it has to do with all the kick ass action and they new zombies or creatures that she has to face 🙂 Love the post…I can’t refuse anything thats about Resident Evil 🙂 Oh yeah, and I can’t wait for the next one 😉
Resident Evil is also one of my all-time favorite franchises. What I like about it the most is this constant escalation of action that I don’t think any other franchise has. The general gist of every movie stars with Alice at almost her weakest point, a few zombies, which then grows into a feast of zombie bloodletting. Lots of fun! 🙂