Blu-ray

Only Paul W.S Anderson could ever dream of giving us a car chase through the streets of Moscow that features zombies on motorbikes firing machine guns. But that's just one of the many brilliantly daft action treats he has in store in this fifth outing in the popular videogame spin-off.

Picking up exactly where his last instalment left off, Resident Evil: Retribution finds the nefarious Umbrella Corporation continuing to cause Alice (Milla Jovovich) no end of grief. Quickly captured by her mortal enemy, the rest of the film follows her and a bunch of would-be rescuers as they try to escape from Umbrella's undersea base.

And that's your lot. Truth be told, there's arguably even less 'story' here that in any of the previous films. Instead of a true narrative structure there's simply a series of 'levels' and 'boss fights' for the protagonists to battle through. And instead of a plot we simply get one long chase – the entire thing seems designed to get Alice and her friends in place for the next film in the series.

Now, if this is all starting to sound a little harsh, don't worry. Whatever Anderson may lack as storyteller, he goes some way to making up for when it comes to crafting on-screen action – and this latest film is pretty much wall-to-wall action. So even if it's not the best in the series, it's still a whole lot of fun. And what more can you ask from a franchise whose entire purpose seems to be to put some attractive ladies in skin-tight clothes, tool them up with loads of heavy artillery and then let them loose on hordes of monsters (and each other)?

Picture: Say what you will about Paul W.S. Anderson, but there are very few filmmakers who have embraced 3D filmmaking technology quite as enthusiastically or successfully as he has done. Through Resident Evil: Afterlife, The Three Musketeers and now Resident Evil: Retribution, he has demonstrated a natural affinity with the stereoscopic format that brings out the very best in both the tech itself and his abilities as a director.

This latest 3D outing dazzles from the off with its extended slo-mo, reverse-action title sequence. It's the sort of sequence that would serve as the high point of any other title, but as flashy as it is, it's pretty much just par for the course when it comes to …Retribution's MVC 2.40:1 1080p encode.

The depth inherent in the 3D locations is nothing short of incredible and every character present within them has a tangible volume that makes them really feel like solid three-dimensional objects in their own right, rather than a series of flat objects operating on a series of different planes.

Given all of the above, it's hardly surprising that the optional 2D AVC presentation derived from the MVC encode is just as awe-inspiring. The brilliance of the colour saturation, astonishing sharpness, intricate detailing and inky blacks mark this out as a reference quality presentation that will undoubtedly provide no end of demo sequences for AV fans. 
Picture rating: 5/5

Audio: Resident Evil: Retribution's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is every bit the match for its hi-def visuals. Heck, before the movie itself even gets going properly, the on-screen company logos are accompanied by the sound of distant gunfire and explosions, as well as helicopters flying through the soundfield.

Indeed, given that the …Retribution is essentially little more than a series of action set-pieces, the mix has very few reasons to pull its punches. Instead it simply sets out to overpower you with it's booming low-end and ridiculously aggressive surround effects as bullets zip past your ears, zombies run screaming toward the screen and explosions reverberate around you. In other words, it's everything you could ask for.
Audio rating: 5/5

Extras: As well as the film itself, Disc One also includes a chummy commentary by Anderson, Jovovich and actor Boris Kodjoe, a second (more technical) commentary by Anderson and producer Jeremy Bolt, five 3D deleted/extended scenes and a 3D outtake reel.

Disc two kicks off with Project Alice, an interactive database of characters and creatures from the five films, including text biogs and video clips for each.

Following this is a collection of six behind-the-scenes vignettes (Maestro of Evil: Directing Resident Evil: Retribution, Evolving Alice, Resident Evil: Reunion, Design & Build: The World of Resident Evil: Retribution, Drop (Un)Dead: The Creatures of Resident Evil: Retribution, Resident Stuntman and Code: Mika). None are particularly lengthy (the combined running time of the six is just 49-mins), but they still provide a pretty detailed look at various aspects of the production. Disappointingly, the film's rather nifty trailer is nowhere to be found on either disc.
Extras rating 3.5/5

We say: Top-notch 3D effects and awe-inspiring lossless audio make this sequel a must-see on BD

Sony Pictures, All-region BD, £28 Approx, On sale now
HCC VERDICT: 3/5