The versions of the Resident Evil series released in mainland China are always good for a surprise. Usually it's the violent peaks that are censored, sometimes more, sometimes less, and then again it's isolated nude scenes that are a thorn in the side of the censors. Despite all the censorship, the success at the box office wasn't denied the fourth part of the video game adaption saga, and so it was probably decided to tailor part 5 even more to the Chinese target audience, by casting the Chinese Li Bingbing as Ada Wong in the original, Cosplay-suitable outfit.

In contrast to part 4, which had to be censored for the Chinese cinemas (see comparison), Retribution was spared from censorship of violence. No optical retouching, no cuts. The rather extensive censorship interventions in the fifth part of the series are of a completely different nature: one part of the film takes place in an abandoned Soviet submarine bunker, with all kinds of socialist wall decoration. The censors didn't like this, and so the relics from Soviet times had to be tediously removed with digital means. The emblems on the caps of the Soviet zombies, on the other hand, seem to have remained intact (as far as we can see on the SD master on the DVD). Thus, those who only have their problems with censorship of violence can still grab this DVD without hesitation during their next holiday in China.

The censored Chinese DVD was compared to the uncut R-rated version (represented by the free TV broadcast on German Pro 7 on August 2, 2019).

53 censorship interventions by optical retouching = No time difference

30:28
The inscription on a box (CCCP) has been removed.
No time difference

Chinese DVD	R-Rated

31:29
The Soviet star on the elevator floor has been removed.
No time difference

31:43
The Soviet star was removed in six consecutive shots.
No time difference

32:05
In eight other shots the star is missing again.
No time difference

34:15
The star again
No time difference

34:23
Ditto
No time difference

34:40
A possible retouching on the wall (unfortunately you can't see this in the TV broadcast version, because the picture is too much cropped on the side).
No time difference

34:49
The Soviet crest on the hangar wall had to come out.
No time difference.

34:51
In the submarine hangar, some wall decorations had to be removed digitally in five shots.
No time difference