It’s easy to understand why, almost as soon as the first game launched, the Resident Evil series was bound for the silver screen — its suffocating atmosphere and eerie mystery-driven story not only transformed the survival horror genre but also felt intensely cinematic back then. Fans didn’t have to wait long to see its impact: not only was it a key influence on [missing text] and the revival of zombie movies in the early 2000s, but just six years after the first game’s debut, Resident Evil received its own film adaptation, helmed by Paul W.S. Anderson. Though Anderson’s Resident Evil film series was a massive box office hit for Sony Pictures, the initial installment arrived at a time when adaptations (particularly video game ones) often seemed embarrassed by their source material, leading to six films that veered into their own tangled, complicated continuity.
After Anderson’s franchise wrapped up in 2016, game fans have been pleading for an adaptation that sticks to the existing story and canon, but this year’s upcoming reboot has already made it obvious [missing text]. Yet in 2021, those hopes were fulfilled by a forgotten reboot that slipped under most people’s radar—even though it’s likely the most faithful adaptation to date.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City definitely isn’t among the top zombie films of all time; it’s overly derivative with shallow writing and lacks the stylistic panache that defined earlier franchise adaptations. But where it falls short of the post-Matrix energy of Anderson’s films, it more than compensates with its dedication to the game’s storyline. Merging the events of the first two games, WTRC tells two stories at once: Raccoon City’s elite police unit (S.T.A.R.S.) stumbles into a horror at the Spencer Mansion, while rookie officer Leon S. Kennedy (Avan Jogia) and Claire Redfield (Kaya Scodelario) fight to survive a city-wide infection.
Exact scene-for-scene remakes aren’t a guaranteed way to create a meaningful adaptation, but after six films that strayed far from the source, it’s satisfying to see some of the game’s most iconic moments come alive on screen. It’s clear director Johannes Roberts is a die-hard fan of the series, and his unwavering loyalty brings an infectious appeal—who can resist smiling when the first zombie attacks a Bravo Team member as the heroes enter the Spencer Mansion, or when the opening sequence of Resident Evil 2 is recreated almost frame by frame?
When it comes to visual style and faithfulness, the film also makes a strong effort to bring the game’s iconic characters to life. Chris (Robbie Amell) and Claire Redfield look like they were pulled straight from the remakes of the games where they first appeared— a stark contrast to the drastic changes in Anderson’s films. The rest of the cast is hit-or-miss, lacking the sharp character development that would make them likable: Avan Jogia adds boyish charm and laid-back charisma to his portrayal of the early-career Leon Kennedy, but the writing pushes him to the sidelines and strips him of the heroism and resourcefulness he’s famous for in the games. Meanwhile, Tom Hopper’s Albert Wesker is nothing like the cunning, power-hungry villain from the original material.
More than any prior film adaptation, Welcome to Raccoon City delves deep into the game’s official lore—reimagining some parts and directly borrowing others. From the inclusion of Lisa Trevor (the tragic Patient Zero introduced in the 2002 Resident Evil remake) to an Easter egg hinting at the menacing Ashford Twins (almost certainly a setup for a sequel that never happened), it’s clear the film’s crew did their research and wanted to reward long-time fans with a world that feels familiar and authentic. This fan-focused approach also applies to the zombies and monsters: while Roberts seems to have saved the massive Tyrants for a follow-up, viewers still get to see familiar enemies like the infected dogs that plagued players in the first game and the terrifying Lickers from Resident Evil 2.
Even though the film aims to be a tribute to the franchise, it’s held back by weak screenwriting and the inherent challenges of adapting video games. The original Resident Evil was revolutionary because its oppressive atmosphere and tension came from player interaction and choices—every mistake could scare you. As a film, Welcome to Raccoon City can’t replicate that feeling; instead of building tension through the game’s constraints (like limited ammo or isolation), it leans into an action-horror tone similar to the third-person shooter style of Resident Evil 4 or James Cameron’s Aliens. The story also suffers from combining the first two Resident Evil games: instead of letting each story develop characters and plot points properly, they’re awkwardly merged, making the movie feel overcrowded.
Despite its flaws, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is a fun, mostly exciting journey through one of the most iconic settings in gaming and pop culture. For the first time since the franchise hit Hollywood, WtRC tries to create an experience that feels familiar to long-time fans—even if it’s confusing or overwhelming for newcomers. It’s not as innovative for the genre as the original game was when it came out, but anyone willing to look past its deviations from the source material will find much to enjoy: its John Carpenter-style pulpiness and the obvious love for the games that shines through every scene.