Netflix's Resident Evil Is The Most Faithful Adaptation Yet
Netflix’s Resident Evil deserves a lot of credit for telling such a bold story. You won’t find any fan favorite characters here like Chris Redfield or Leon Kennedy, and the only familiar face, Albert Wesker, is not only totally unrecognizable, but has also been dead for 13 years. The reaction to last month’s trailer was dire, and it's clear many have already written the show off for not being ‘authentic’ Resident Evil. And yet, despite how far it ventures away from the source material, it manages to be the most faithful live-action Resident Evil project we’ve ever seen. I can’t think of another adaptation that captures the heart of a game this well while simultaneously abandoning everything fans think they love about it. It’s far from perfect, and the dialogue will most likely turn off a lot of people, but in terms of its story and themes, this is the first Resident Evil show to get it right.
It’s not quite accurate to call Resident Evil an adaptation, since it’s a direct continuation of the storyline established by the games. Everything that happened in the series, from Project W to Ethan’s sacrifice at the Megamycete, happened in the show too. The history of Resident Evil barely comes into play until the back half of the season, and even then it doesn’t matter so much that not knowing the games will prevent you from understanding the show. But still, fans will appreciate its commitment to stay true to the original timeline. The lore conflicts it presents are extremely minor, and while it’s not technically canon since future games won’t take its events into account, it definitely feels like it exists authentically within the Resident Evil world.
Related: The Subtle Terror Of Resident Evil’s Iconic 'Turning Around
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