Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City had a lofty goal in mind when being filmed: be more faithful to the games than the original set of movies. Those started in 2002 and wouldn’t end until 2017. Though they were a massive hit, the lore of the films was completely different from the ground up. Milla Jovovich played a character named Alice who never appeared in the games.
Of the six movies in total, none of them felt like Resident Evil. That doesn’t mean they weren’t entertaining on their level, but fans wanted a film that honored the source material. So, the big question is: does Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City do the series justice? Most fans agree the answer is not completely, but there are some elements the new movie got right. There will be spoilers.
6 The Monsters
There are only four classic monsters in the film from the series. The most obvious and prominent ones are the zombies; however, they're a bit different than the game versions. They’re a bit faster, somewhat intelligent, and are kind of like cancer zombies. The citizens of Raccoon City get infected over time via the water supply. This causes them to bleed, have their hair fall out, and so on. It makes them look like the iconic first zombie in the Spencer Mansion from the first game.
In addition to the human zombies, there are terrifying zombie dogs. Birkin transforms into a close approximation to his hulking game counterpart. And even though it isn’t present for long, the Licker looks and acts the most spot-on.
5 The Mansion
It takes a while to get to the mansion, and the timeline of the film is all messed up. Originally, Resident Evil is supposed to take place two months prior to Resident Evil 2. They’re now on the same day which is why the way the characters get to the Spencer estate is a bit odd.
Regardless of the timeline wonkiness, the mansion is the best set-piece in the film at least from a video game perspective. The dark lighting also makes it one of the most terrifying areas in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. For example, there is a gunfight that takes place entirely in the dark, only lit up by muzzle flashes. It’s a great aesthetic choice for this or any film, and invokes the feeling of the games.
4 The Raccoon Police Department Station
The outside gate to the RPD station looks like it was taken straight out of the game. The lobby where Leon sits is also quite spectacular along with the STARs office. Even the parking garage looks like a close approximation.
The only downside to the RPD station is that not a lot of time is spent there. Everything that should happen in there from Resident Evil 2 happens in the orphanage instead. This includes the famous meeting with the Licker. Even the card-themed keys are in the orphanage.
3 The Costumes
The costumes might be the most authentic thing in the movie. The STARs vests on Chris, Jill, and Wesker look tight. Leon’s RPD vest and normal uniform are true to form, and Claire’s red leather jacket from the remake is well done. Most of the actors look the part as well, although there were some leaps taken.
Updating the looks of Leon and Jill, for example, was an appreciated move to create a more diverse cast. The only downside is that the film didn't nail all of the characters terms of personality and lore. However, that's not the fault of the actors, who gave 100% with what they had to work with.
2 Some Of The Characters
Of the eight main characters from the games in the film, only a handful gets translated in a decent way. Claire’s backstory with her brother is all wrong; in the games, they couldn’t be closer. However, Claire does, at least, act like herself in the movie which is a huge plus. She might even be the best character in the movie.
William Birkin doesn't appear in the games much, so the film didn’t have much to work with. Because of that, the portrayal in the movie works. The addition of his daughter Sherry was a nice touch, allowing the movie to show him in a more loving light. The same is true for Lisa Trevor, who didn’t get much screen time in the remake of the first game. Her backstory in the film was more fleshed out. Even the appearance of the Ashford Twins felt legitimate, even though they were only in a film reel.
1 The Tiny Easter Eggs
The film may not have gotten all of the characters right, and the story is a bit of a mishmash of ideas from the series. However, the way in which it pays homage to even the tiniest details in the games is masterful. There are too many Easter eggs to count.
For example, the “itchy tasty” line is from an obscure journal entry. There are herbs in the background along with other familiar items, such as the typewriter on Leon’s desk. Leon also has his welcome sign from the remake of Resident Evil 2. The most famous Easter egg line from the games that makes it into the film is “Jill sandwich,” which Jill says when she is literally eating a sandwich. It was a dumb joke that was hard not to laugh at.