Johannes Roberts has largely followed through on his promise to make the games more faithful to the originals, and this is much better than Paul W.S. Anderson’s take on the Resi universe. Any fears you may have had about another director disregarding what made the games so great can largely be allayed.
The game features many of the key characters from the " Resident Evil" series, including Chris Redfield, Claire Redfield, Albert Wesker, Jill Valentine, Leon Kennedy, and young Sherry Berkin.
The Resident Evil games have always been known for their faithful recreations of locations from the games, and this new game is no exception. There are several locations featured in the game, including the Spencer Mansion from the first Resident Evil game and the Raccoon City Police Station and Orphanage from the second. There’s even a typewriter in the mansion, although we never get to see any of the characters using it! ..
The first two Resi games are packed with action and excitement, but they also offer a wealth of detail that the fans will appreciate. For example, the S.T.A.R.S .team’s arrival to the mansion is faithfully translated from the game, and it’s a moment that will leave you breathless.
The game also features a few nods to the works of Ludwig van Beethoven, such as when the protagonist finds a copy of his Moonlight Sonata in the mansion.
The movie features a lot of zombies and one particular zombie moment is meticulously recreated from the first game.
The original Resident Evil title featured some of the most iconic zombies in video game history, and while you won’t find any of those creatures roaming the streets, there are a few other variants around. One of these is the ‘zombie dogs’, which are actually quite similar to real-life canines. However, don’t expect to see them jump out at you – instead, they will likely try to attack you if you get too close.
The Resident Evil movie is a love letter to the games that many people will notice. It is mostly successful, although some of the moments from the Playstation originals are skipped over to keep to a leaner running time.
But what if you haven’t played the games? Will this movie appeal to you? Well, maybe. The movie’s story – an evil pharmaceutical company (Umbrella) creates a virus that inadvertently turns the folk of Raccoon City into zombies – is largely played out in basic terms, with little explanation as to why they wanted to create a deadly virus in the first place. However, there are some nods to the games, such as Leon S. Kennedy’s ability to use firearms and Chris Redfield’s use of a rocket launcher. So if you’re familiar with those elements of the game series, you may find more enjoyment in this movie than someone who isn’t. ..
If you’re looking for a plot with which to sink your teeth, you may be disappointed. You might also be disappointed if you’re looking for lots of bloodshed and gore. However, it’s not the worst movie in the genre, and there are plenty of action and terror moments that might satisfy you if you decide to give it a try. ..
Video game movies are traditionally terrible, but this latest title largely bucks that trend. The ending is a bit cheesy (although there is an intriguing mid-credits scene) and the plotting is a bit of a mess. But as the movie is (mostly) respectful of the gaming franchise from which it has been spawned, it does deserve points for not mutating into the cinematic disasters that Paul W S Anderson created. ..
There has been no news of a sequel, but if one is announced, I would be more than happy to see it. ..
There is potential for a great game in the Resident Evil series if it avoids Resident Evil 5 and 6, two low points in the game series. It would be good to see an adaptation of Resident Evil 4, where Leon went up against an evil cult in Spain, or a version of the recent Resident Evil: Village, where Ethan Winters (who made his debut in Resident Evil 7) ends up in a creepy castle with the mother of all terrors! ..
The games were already cinematic in nature, and sequels would be a shame if they weren’t made.
The movie is definitely worth watching if you’re a fan of the games. It’s not perfect – you will have a few quibbles about the way certain moments are handled – but there are still plenty of Easter Eggs that you will appreciate.
If you haven’t played the games, you might still enjoy the movie, although you shouldn’t expect something as scary or as bloody as the George A. Romero movies that were the inspiration for the original game.
