Michelle Rodriguez Interview For ‘Resident Evil: Retribution’

Written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, ‘Resident Evil: Retribution,’ the fifth installment in the game-to-film franchise stars Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Kevin Durand, Shawn Roberts, Colin Salmon, Johann Urb, Boris Kodjoe and Li Bingbing. 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 (Milla Jovovich), 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 newfound allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. ‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ opens in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D on September 14th in the US and September 28th in the UK.

Getting to play multiple Rain’s, as someone who’s experienced with gun training, was it harder for you to kind of digress and play someone who’s not so sure with guns?

Michelle Rodriguez: (Laughs) Definitely so. The innocent Rain was a lot tougher than the experienced, violent Rain that I’m so used to. I think it was the heels that really did it for me (laughs). I don’t mind the Prius, I don’t mind being Vegan, I don’t mind being a student, I don’t mind being ignorant to guns. But the heels, running in heels really got me (laughs). I gotta say man, there should be an extra training course for tom-boys, just for that.

But then you’ve got Milla Jovovich wearing a full body skin-suit with these high heels built in…..

Michelle Rodriguez: I know man, dude (laughs)! I even had to mention it to her, because it’s so out of the ordinary. But she looks good in it!

What do you think is the endearing quality of the ‘Resident Evil’ movies?

Michelle Rodriguez: I have a feeling that it has to do with this kind of slight death wish that humanity has for themselves (laughs). Any movie that involves humanity threatened in any way, shape or form, as incredulous as it may seem, even zombies I think people really gravitate towards it. That and the fact that Paul W.S. Anderson has done a really amazing job of respecting the inception of the franchise in video game form. He has throughout the years included major details of the actual video game and integrated it into his imaginary world. Because Alice is a new character, he introduced Alice into the film, and a bunch of other characters that were never in the video game. So to balance it out and pay respect to the video game, pay respect to the idea that the film came from, he’s done a really good job of maintaining the integrity of all of the lickers, the zombies, the mutants, the genetic viruses….all of that stuff he pays close attention to it, to make sure he satisfies the fans.

What was your reaction when Paul W.S. Anderson gave you the call and said, “Look, we want you back?”

Michelle Rodriguez: I said, “How the hell are you going to bring somebody back after they’ve been shot in the head? I did see the bullet exit the back and splatter against the wall behind me. How are you gonna take that back, huh?” (Laughs) And then when he did explain I was like, “Ah man, really? How come I didn’t think of that?” I should have known.

Since the first movie, had you kept up with the ‘Resident Evil’ franchise?

Michelle Rodriguez: Yes, I’ve watched the evolution. And for me, I loved how Paul steered away slowly from just this sci-fi realm into a more action vibe to it. I felt that more so in the Vegas setting in ‘Resident Evil: Extinction,’ than any other, just the idea of bringing it to a realistic place. We’re not in Raccoon City, we’re not in this place where nobody knows about. We’re actually in the demolished version of something everybody on this planet knows., Las Vegas. And then you get into this action movie where if I’m flipping through the channels, I could actually think this is an action movie, “Yeah, some of these people are dressed weird, but I don’t really expect a zombie to fly out at me in the middle of the sunlight.” And that’s cool, then he’s evolved it from there. Now, with ‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ you’re in Moscow, New York, it has the action movie quality to it.

Then it balances the horror elements as well?

Michelle Rodriguez: Yeah, I think so. It comes in those silent beats – I love Hitchcock for starting it off, but that was what made the video game in of itself….because I played the video game and it wasn’t until I found out they were making a movie about it that I actually approached Paul to be in the movie. Because I wanted to be a part of the franchise. That’s what about the video game that really attracted me. And I think that there’s enough of those beats that there’s a couple jump out of your seats 3D moments (laughs), because it gets really noisy and crazy –  and you can’t get scared when it’s all really noisy and crazy, but there’s some moments where it gets quiet and you’re like, “Holy snap!” And that’s really important when you have a franchise like this, to have those moments.