Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) is a gritty reboot of the Resident Evil film franchise, aiming to return to the survival-horror roots of Capcom’s iconic video game series. The movie blends elements from Resident Evil 1 and Resident Evil 2, creating a nostalgic but darker interpretation of the outbreak’s early hours.
Detailed Summary
The Return to a Dying Town
Claire Redfield returns to Raccoon City, her childhood home, now nearly abandoned after years of exploitation by the Umbrella Corporation. The film quickly establishes a paranoid, almost claustrophobic tone. Claire reunites with her brother Chris, trying to convince him that Umbrella has been experimenting on the city’s residents.
The Mansion Investigation
While the Raccoon City Police Department (RPD) deals with strange calls and rising tension, the STARS Alpha Team heads to the Spencer Mansion to investigate the disappearance of Bravo Team. This storyline closely follows RE1, introducing bizarre architecture, mutated creatures, and the unsettling atmosphere the games are famous for.
The RPD and the Collapse of the City
Simultaneously, rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy experiences the worst first day ever. Zombies begin attacking the station, and the outbreak rapidly spirals out of control. These sequences borrow heavily from RE2, including iconic scenes like Leon encountering the truck crash and the police station siege.
Convergence of Storylines
As the infection spreads, Claire and Leon team up, fighting their way beneath the city. Chris and Jill, trapped in the Spencer Mansion, uncover Umbrella’s horrifying experiments, including the mutated scientist William Birkin, one of the franchise’s central villains.
Movie Ending
The climax brings all surviving characters together underground as the city above collapses. William Birkin, mutating into his G-Virus form, becomes the final threat. Chris confronts Birkin, who mutates into a towering creature. In true Resident Evil fashion, the battle is brutal and chaotic.
Claire, Leon, Jill, and Chris barely escape by boarding an underground train—the same escape vehicle fans will recognize from the games. Just when everything seems calm, Birkin returns for one last mutation, forcing the group into a final showdown. Leon finishes him off by firing a rocket launcher (a stylish homage that game fans appreciate).
As the survivors emerge from a tunnel, Raccoon City is completely annihilated by an Umbrella-triggered self-destruction protocol. The group—now essentially the early foundation of the franchise’s main hero cast—walks toward an uncertain future, while Umbrella’s involvement is hinted to continue.
A mid-credit reveal shows Ada Wong stepping in to recruit Albert Wesker, who has been revived through Umbrella’s experiments, suggesting future sequels that explore deeper conspiracies.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
There is no full post-credits scene, but there is an important mid-credits scene featuring Albert Wesker’s resurrection and his meeting with Ada Wong. This ties directly into the larger lore and teases sequels that have not yet materialized.
Type of Movie
This film is a survival-horror action movie with a heavy emphasis on atmosphere, claustrophobic environments, and a plotline faithful to the early Resident Evil games. It is less stylized than the previous Resident Evil film series, aiming for a more grounded horror approach.
Cast
- Kaya Scodelario – Claire Redfield
- Robbie Amell – Chris Redfield
- Avan Jogia – Leon S. Kennedy
- Hannah John-Kamen – Jill Valentine
- Tom Hopper – Albert Wesker
- Neal McDonough – William Birkin
- Donal Logue – Chief Brian Irons
Film Music and Composer
The score was composed by Mark Korven, known for atmospheric and tension-driven music (The Witch, The Lighthouse). His sharp, minimalist tones fit the film’s dark and oppressive mood perfectly.
Filming Locations
The movie was primarily shot in Sudbury, Ontario (Canada). The isolated urban and forest environments of Sudbury helped create the feel of a remote, dying industrial town, which is central to the movie’s interpretation of Raccoon City. Several interior sets were built to resemble iconic game locations such as the RPD lobby and the Spencer Mansion’s grand hall.
Awards and Nominations
While not a major awards contender, the film did receive recognition for its practical effects and makeup work in a handful of genre-specific festivals. It did not receive mainstream award nominations.
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Director Johannes Roberts pushed for a game-accurate tone, relying heavily on fan-favorite details.
- The RPD set was built to match the Resident Evil 2 Remake design almost exactly.
- Kaya Scodelario studied Claire’s game animations to mimic her movement style, especially her cautious posture.
- Many zombie extras were trained to imitate movements from older RE games, giving them a slightly uncanny feel.
Inspirations and References
- Directly inspired by the Resident Evil 1 and Resident Evil 2 video games.
- Visual cues follow the 2019 RE2 Remake, particularly the RPD layout.
- The film uses several narrative beats from game files, diaries, and environmental storytelling.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
- Several deleted scenes involved extended exploration of the RPD and Spencer Mansion.
- An alternate introduction showing more of Claire and Chris’s childhood was filmed but cut for pacing.
- A planned post-credits sequence further teasing Umbrella’s deeper experiments was dropped late in editing.
Book Adaptations and Differences
The movie is not adapted from a novel, but from the early Resident Evil games, which themselves have expanded novelizations. Compared to those stories, this film:
- Blends RE1 and RE2 into a single timeline.
- Gives Leon a more comedic, inexperienced personality.
- Makes Raccoon City look more like a failing mining town rather than a mid-sized American city.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Claire’s chilling encounter with the infected truck driver.
- The RPD lobby siege, faithful to the feeling of the RE2 games.
- STARS Alpha Team entering the Spencer Mansion with flashlights cutting through darkness.
- The underground train escape and final rocket launcher hit against Birkin.
Iconic Quotes
- Claire: “Umbrella destroyed this city long before the virus did.”
- Leon: “Worst day on the job ever.”
- Wesker: “There’s a plan bigger than you understand.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- A typewriter appears in the RPD as a nod to the game’s save system.
- Jill’s “master of unlocking” reputation gets an ironic reference.
- Posters for the fictional “Welcome to Raccoon City” festival mirror posters found in RE2 Remake.
- The Ashford twins briefly appear in an Umbrella videotape.
- The infected truck driver’s dog recreates an iconic RE2 opening moment.
Trivia
- The director described the film as “John Carpenter meets Resident Evil.”
- Leon’s look was partly inspired by early concept art rather than the final game model.
- The zombie makeup team studied real decomposition photos for accuracy.
- The Spencer Mansion’s interior was one of the largest sets ever built for a RE movie.
Why Watch?
If you enjoy the horror roots of Resident Evil or want a movie that actually tries to honor the games’ tone, this entry is worth watching. It’s atmospheric, faithful in spirit, and filled with game-accurate details that longtime fans will appreciate. While not perfect, it’s a sincere adaptation with plenty of nostalgia and survival-horror energy.
Director’s Other Movies
- 47 Meters Down (2017)
- The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018)
- 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019)
- Storage 24 (2012)
