Since AMC’s “The Walking Dead” dug its fangs into popular culture, zombie shows have reanimated at an apocalyptic rate on television. Netflix has a plethora of post-“Walking Dead” shows, including Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead,” the Korean high school drama “All of Us Are Dead,” the period horror “Kingdom,” and even the dark comedy “Santa Clarita Diet.
“To stand out from the crowd, these shows had to reimagine the classic zombie story by experimenting with genre or setting. The “Resident Evil” series on Netflix is no exception, mixing its take on the undead with several histories, teen drama, and a futuristic pharmaceutical business intent on world conquest.
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The “Resident Evil” franchise has been for over 25 years, debuting in the mid-1990s with a horror game that horrified gamers with its horrific monsters and eerie setting. Since then, it has spawned dozens of spinoffs, television programs, and a film franchise headlined by Milla Jovovich. However, “Resident Evil” on Netflix takes a different approach by focusing on the Wesker family, including Albert Wesker (Lance Reddick), Jade and Billie Wesker, and their twin sisters (Tamara Smart and Siena Agudong).
Casual “Resident Evil” fans will undoubtedly remember Albert Wesker as one of the franchise’s most prominent antagonists. Still, the series reimagines him as an excellent, subtle father figure whose secret backstory generates the most gripping moments.
Unfortunately, Reddick’s moments in “Resident Evil” are limited to one plotline, as the film switches between the present day in New Raccoon City, another reference to the video games that will excite enthusiasts, and 2036 when a zombie virus has decimated the earth.
Compared to the other characters, the pseudo antagonist/mad scientist/bad father of Albert Wesker drives the show. But without him, the show is as lifeless as a flesh-eating zombie.
The present-day plot is a blend of mediocre high school drama and pharmaceutical misconduct, while the 2036 events, starring Ella Balinska as a hardened and scarred adult Jade Wesker, veer between zombie guts and worn-out genre cliches.
Since fifty percent of the show is set in the future, there are significant plot twists in the latter half, primarily “Who is still alive in 2036 and how did they survive?” ” However, the different zombie pieces do not constitute a unified entity.
On the other hand, horror and undead lovers will be able to sink their teeth into “Resident Evil’s” zombie action. There are plenty of gruesome killings and zombie-animal hybrids that are monstrously entertaining. Fans of the video games will also recognize various reanimated references, including vicious zombie dogs and a fun-filled chainsaw routine.
“Resident Evil” does not redefine the zombie genre because it juggles too many narratives without focusing on a singular vision for the franchise. This post-apocalyptic story may contain some enjoyable moments for fans of the genre’s television shows. As the show progresses, Reddick also delivers a strong performance, but his absence from sequences leaves viewers wanting more.
