Wait, did I say “subtly?” I meant “the opposite of that.”
Sony Pictures has finally offered a solid, official trailer for the upcoming Resident Evil: Retribution (the latest film with supposed ties to Capcom’s survival horror series that, let’s be honest, is really just an excuse to see Milla Jovovich murder zombies in hilariously over-the-top fashion), and in a move that shouldn’t be surprising to anyone who understands capitalism, the majority of the clip is an ad for Sony’s various gadgets.
Don’t believe me? Hit play on the embedded video, but pause it at the 0:35 mark. What did you just watch? A typical Sony ad, right?
Then, in a segue that is equal parts clever and baffling, the clip transitions into a teaser for the film. Was it a stretch to link the protagonist’s dialogue to the silly ad copy of the first segment? Of course it was, but as you’ll notice, this clip couldn’t care less about things like “congruency” or “being faithful to its source material.”
Let’s play a game: Other than the Umbrella Corporation logos, and the surprisingly excellent Ada Wong costume, how many things in that clip can also be found in the Resident Evil videogame series? If your answer is “well, they seem to be breathing oxygen, and I’m pretty sure Leon Kennedy does that a few times in Resident Evil 4” you are correct, and also a pedantic jerk.
Resident Evil: Retribution hits theaters this fall, making it the fourth Resident Evil property we’ll see this year.
UPDATE: It has also just been pointed out that the trailer uses music from the recent Tron: Legacy. Specifically, Daft Punk’s “Recognizer.” We are at a loss to explain this.
UPDATE 2: Though the original version of the video was taken down, we have replaced it with an upload from the official Sony Pictures YouTube channel.
