As a fan of the Resident Evil franchise, I was excited for the new Resident Evil, Resident Evil: Retribution, released this weekend.

Originating from the survivor horror game Resident Evil, created by Capcom, the Resident Evil franchise has officially hit five movies.  After immediately seeing it this weekend, I have to say Retribution is my favorite Resident Evil movie thus far. 

Retribution not only pleases fans of the movie franchise, but it also surpasses expectations for fans of the game.  Featuring both familiar faces from previous movies, and familiar names from the game, Retribution promises thrills, and delivers.

Rain, One, Luther West, and Carlos, characters from earlier Resident Evil films, all make a comeback to the surprise of the audience. Not every reunion is a happy one, however, which makes for an interesting plot line.  Particularly, a fight scene featuring Rain and Alice, played by Michelle Rodriguez and Milla Jovovich, makes for the best scene of the movie, holding no punches.  At one point, a simple shot of a facial expression by Michelle Rodriguez made the whole audience audibly gasp.  It is a scene you do not want to miss, so wait to refill your popcorn until after.

Fans of the games will definitely recongize a few more characters and monsters.  Ada Wong and Jill Valentine make their movie debut in Retribution.  Neither performance disappoint, and both women live up to their kick-ass reputations. Also making a frightening debut, is the game monster "The Licker."  The Licker, a further mutation of a once-human zombie, makes his prescence known and heard in Retribution.  Although notably bigger in the movie than in the game, The Licker becomes a scene stealer.

What's most surprising is the plot of Resident Evil:  Retribution.  The movie opens where the last movie ends.  Alice, along with other survivors, are captured on a ship they considered a safe haven.  She awakens to find herself deep within the heart of the Umbrella Corporation's operations facility.  With the help of Ada Wong, she escapses, only to find herself plunged deeper into the mystery that is the T-virus.  Alice simulataneously fights for revenge, and for freedom, only to realize she's fighting against friends, and sometimes even herself.  The truth is revealed, and the real fight for humanity begins.

At times unbelievable, and other times incredibly exciting, Resident Evil once again delivers a story both terrifying and hopeful.  The end of the movie, like the other Resident Evils before it, leaves the story line wide open for another movie...or maybe it doesn't.  I personally hope the franchise comes back, with even more shocks and surprises.