The Resident Evil franchise is one of the most popular gaming series and has more adaptations than any other video game. With three animated films and six live-action movies already out, the post-apocalyptic series is now receiving a reboot, with another film scheduled to premiere on September 3, 2021. But, in order to succeed, the upcoming Resident Evil movie, titled Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, will have to fall back to the original theme - survival horror.
It has been revealed that the premise of the latest Resident Evil movie will be largely adapted from the first two games in the franchise, with a plot set in Raccoon City that brings back some of the major characters under the red-and-white umbrella, including Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Leon S. Kennedy. With absolutely no connection to the previous films and being a direct adaptation of two of the best games in the franchise, the Resident Evil movie has an opportunity to do justice to the series by offering fans the right amount of jump scares, creepy monsters, and just plain horror.
The Resident Evil games are known for their spooky moments, where the player would be running through a quiet corridor, anxiously trying to solve puzzles to progress further in the story, only to suddenly have zombie dogs crash through windows. While the games also consist of a lot of action, gunfire, and puzzles, at its core, the franchise has always been a part of the horror genre. It has always maintained a dark, anxiety-causing atmosphere, ensuring that whenever players start taking things easy and soaking in the mood, the next scare is right around the corner.
Despite being an extremely popular franchise, Resident Evil has had its low points over the course of its history. The first game was developed and released by Capcom in 1996 and introduced the “survival horror video game” genre. However, in the past two decades, multiple sequels and spin-offs have arrived and the interpretation of the genre has changed. Capcom stopped defining the games by a set of rules, allowing them to mean something different to everyone. But, moving away from the original formula could be one of the reasons why some of the games did not fare as well.
While not all the releases were appreciated, the first two games of the franchise still remain a favorite among fans, with the remastered version and remake also going on to become massive hits. Both games relied heavily on the right amount of scares and if the film promises to stick to the script from those games, it is bound to be appreciated by loyal fans.
The first introduction to a zombie in Resident Evil is something fans of the game still remember and talk about. At the time, horror was not the most popular genre, and gamers weren’t used to battling monsters with limited ammo and resources. They were definitely not expecting a scene of a zombie gnawing on a corpse, only to slowly turn towards the protagonist with blood dripping down its jaw.
While players may think they are prepared for a zombie-filled world, collecting ammo wherever they can find it and getting ready for battle, not knowing when the next monster will show up has them on edge at all times. This is by far the best and most obvious element in the survival horror games. When a player is completely focused on the scene, looking for hidden clues, a sudden loud crash is bound to cause a fright, and Resident Evil plays on this sense of the unknown from the get-go. The Resident Evil movie should strive to do the same thing.
Additionally, before a monster was fully introduced, the game usually resorted to limiting the players’ view of the enemy in question, or displayed it for an incredibly short time, perhaps crawling in the corner. This would hint at the competitor the player would soon have to face, without revealing its true form. While it is terrifying not knowing what to expect, having a vague idea of what’s coming somehow made things worse. So, even if players are anticipating the impending doom, they wouldn’t know of its true power until hit in the face, literally.
Some of the monsters in the first game, including Hunters, were able to kill players with a brutal decapitation. While many other games include violence, and were released with a mature or R-rating, this shocked many players, as most of these monsters had a hideous appearance and would typically jump out of the shadows, causing a player to lose focus and panic. Plus, losing against one of these enemies meant players would lose significant progress in the game and have to start at a previous checkpoint. Including these monsters in the upcoming Resident Evil movie would go a long way toward satisfying (and terrifying) fans and newcomers alike.
Resident Evil 2 introduced fans to one of the franchise’s scariest monsters, Lickers, which are mutants with extremely long tongues and large, exposed brains. Their introduction in the original game in 1998 was suitably terrifying. As players explored the eerily quiet Raccoon City Police Department, they came across a body with a “missing head”. Something that doesn’t seem too out of place in the world of Resident Evil, players might be initially unfazed, but the scene cuts to the grotesque monster crawling across the ceiling and pouncing on the player. The game takes the phrase ‘calm before the storm’ too seriously.
While the games incorporate all forms of horror beautifully, along with an eerie soundtrack, it wouldn’t be fair to ignore the element of action. Resident Evil wouldn’t have been the iconic franchise it is without it. The action sequences in the games have succeeded in attracting a larger audience, not just those interesting in horror. The later games in the series have included a fair bit of explosions and gunfire, which appeals to a segment of the gaming population. And viewers of the films would appreciate a few well-crafted action sequences, too. But, at the end of the day, the film needs to stick to its roots, and use the quiet and solitude of the survival horror games to set itself apart.
Games in the horror genre rarely disappoint, and the same goes for Resident Evil’s first two titles. There is a constant air of mystery, with players never sure what to expect next. The same needs to be incorporated into the film, instead of taking the guns-blaring approach. It is important for the movie to be able to bring viewers to the edge of their seats, as they slowly uncover the truth along with the main characters. Facing several challenges and going through puzzles and monster fights would be a bonus, but if viewers aren’t suitably afraid, the newest Resident Evil movie will let the franchise down.