Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to Chatsanami, a Scottish variety podcast that discusses topics from gaming and films to anime in general interest. Join me, your host, Satsanami, as well as the rest of our Chatsanami team for our takes on these very important pop culture topics. Sir, it's clearly a trap. I accept your page! That happens three times in the film. Every time that general goes, don't do this one thing, he goes... Do you know what I'ma do? That's exact.
Speaker: No! it doesn't well she had the pointy teeth what was that about she looked like bilbo when he wants the ring back She turned into... I just want the lightsaber one more time. Parasite says, no, you will get back into your office and work. No, says the man in Zoom. yeah Trousers are for the working man.
Speaker: You're bursting into your hotel room. Honey, we need to go. Leave the kids. You can milk an audition. Oh!
Speaker: That's the worst thing you've ever said on any of the episodes. If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you can check us out at our website, chattsanami .com, as well as all good podcast apps. As always, stay safe, stay awesome, and most importantly... Stay hydrated. Stay classy. This has been such an army. I'm sorry.
Speaker: well it's that time of year again.
Speaker: Golden leaves falling off of trees, puppets coming out of retirement to become jack -o' -lanterns, and the closing of one's curtains, lest their house be beset upon by a bunch of feral children dressed as creatures of horror. And as I sit here in the dark with my unrelated family -sized bag of Halloween sweets, I felt it was time to talk to you all about one of the spookiest topics that morbidly fascinates me. That's right, of course we're going to be talking about the world of video game adaptations.
Speaker: Now look, we did a whole episode about this all the way back in Season 1, and while I would love to dive back into it someday, there is something that has just always called me to them, a bit like a siren's call to be honest, whether it be through naivety or just curiosity.
Speaker: it's always interesting to see how certain directors perceive a medium that you've grown to love. And while they've certainly gotten better over the years, there's one particular genre that I think sours when the Venn diagram overlaps in the middle, which is, of course, the horror genre. Cards on the table?
Speaker: I have a really complicated history with horror films. That's not to say I hate them by any means, but I personally think that, much like comedy, good horror is subjective and can be difficult to get right. Unfortunately, there's a subculture within the horror community that tries to intersect horror with a somewhat cheapness, turning said horror into a dark comedy which is, at least to me, even harder to successfully pull off.
Speaker: For every Shaun of the Dead, you'll have Bloody Mary is trying to teabag my cat 5 or something. And if that's a real film, please don't tell me. Not to mention the slew of hyper -gory films without context that, I'm going to be honest, I just cannot stand by. Despite franchises like Saw being a key trendsetter for this, there are certainly a multitude that have come before that. But what happens when you have a particularly gory game that needs to be made palatable for a general audience? Honestly, I don't envy directors. who choose to take on these projects. After all, when was the last time you heard anybody speak well about Uwe Bollos alone in the dark or Blood Rain? I mean, that's not to mention the terrible Doom adaptation or... Or God help me, the snooze -worthy slender.
Speaker: But as you've read by the title, there is one film series that I want to draw attention to, and that is Resident Evil. For long -term listeners, you'll know that I'm a relatively new fan to the series. And I've went down the proverbial rabbit hole of seeing what makes a series beloved after all this time.
Speaker: I became so engrossed in the series that I even dedicated a whole month of it to the podcast. But unlike Silent Hill, which, trust me, we will get onto next month, Resident Evil has always had a blend of cheesy yet bloody horror that appealed to a wider audience. You have your gribbling monsters, the giant spiders, and the stalking enemies that'll make you wish you prepared more than one pair of pants.
Speaker: But as the series evolved, so too did the adaptations that followed. This began in 2002 with the first live -action film, produced by Constantine Film and directed by Paul W .S. Anderson, in a rather interesting twist.
Speaker: The films follow the action lead Alice, played by Mila Jovovich, who is an ex -Umbrella operative keen on taking down her former employer, which I can't deny is relatable. But re -watching them in 2026, they are such a time capsule of the period, with slow -mo action, dated effects, and practically having characters acting a way that no real human being does unless they're in a bad action film.
Speaker: And look, I know a lot of fans have a nostalgic connection to them, so I'm not going to dunk on anyone specifically for liking them, but objectively, they're just not great films. I mean, for God's sake, in the second film, Alice has a fistfight with Nemesis, which looks like someone's mum taking umbrage at a Five Nights at Freddy's tribute act and proceeding to beat them up. Then by the third film, they abandon all of it and go full -on Mad Max, which is just disappointing. I'm not overly confident in anyone wanting to hear my thoughts on these films in particular, but if you want to hear me review them, then please let me know and maybe I'll make it into a series of episodes. But going back to Resident Evil, it wouldn't be until 2021 when we would get the reboot film Welcome to Raccoon City. And then a year later, in the Netflix series. All I can say is, at this period, the Resident Evil fans were are eating well. And by eating well, I mean they were strapped to a chair in the Baker Mansion because, damn, both of these filled me with such a sense of disappointment that I think my descendants will be feeling it. Because both of them, for separate reasons, were utterly terrible failures of the source material. I've spoke about this in a Patreon exclusive e episode.
Speaker: Ahem. patreon .com forward slash shatsunami. But while that film looked the part so damn perfectly, everything around it failed, from the writing to the weird characterisations. The Netflix show was straight up burn slow. Even as a show in its own right, and I will never understand who that show was made for. But with that being said, when I heard the series was yet again getting another reboot, helmed by Zack Krieger of Barbarian in Weapons fame, honestly? I just kinda shrugged.
Speaker: it literally could not have been any worse than what we got before. But the way some folk were taking it online... It was as if the director had personally come to the house and punched him in the face. Which is why...
Speaker: Sorry, one second, someone's at the door. Well, hey, Zach. Ow!
Speaker: All joking aside, the only other film of his I've seen is Barbarian which, I'm gonna be honest, I didn't really rate highly at all. And that's not because it's bad by any means, far from the contrary, but more because it's a film with a good premise that slowly decays over the course of the film into just this absurdist horror. I must say that there's a lot of moments like that in the new Resident Evil film that definitely made me think, yeah, that's definitely a staple as a director. When it was revealed, however, that this was going to be a self -contained story, I felt like it didn't help those who were already mad at the existence of this film, but for me, it felt like this was definitely the right way forward. After all, we have the animated films which, while mixed in quality, still focus primarily on the core gamecast. As for the Milo Jovovich films, They felt more like Alice in Umbrella Land. feat that character you knew from the games. And while the subsequent films tried to rein it in, I felt like this was the most logical step in terms of a reboot. After all,
Speaker: This is a clean slate that allows Krieger to create a story that comes across like one of those notes you would find lying on a pavement in Raccoon City. They would tell you about the struggles of an unknown character who met a grisly end to an unseen enemy, or dropped the world's weirdest clue to a puzzle that you would never usually have laying around. Well, unless your last name was Spencer. But with that being said, does this film succeed in rebooting the franchise? Or was any of the criticism warranted? Well, grab your transplant popcorn bags.
Speaker: Yes, that's the thing. As we dive into reviewing 2026s... Resident than Evil, but first we'll be right back with full spoilers after these messages. Do you have to throw on your favorite true crime podcast before bed in order to fall asleep? Same. And it's the very reason that I created Cereal Napper.
Speaker: My name is Nikki Young and I'm here to lull you to sleep or perhaps to give you nightmares with some of the craziest true crime stories that you've never heard of.
Speaker: Each episode of Serial Napper features a different true crime story told succinctly the way that it happened. Just the facts, ma 'am. My focus is on unsolved crimes that need more attention, cold cases and wrongful convictions.
Speaker: While true crime shows can sometimes be graphic in nature, I ensure that the story is told in a way that is respectful to the victims and their families Now when it's time for bed you can look forward to 30 minutes of well -researched and detailed case files while you get your beauty sleep.
Speaker: Find Serial Napper on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. Sweet dreams. First impressions can take only six seconds to make. But if you're neurodivergent, those quick judgments about you can be misleading.
Speaker: Because of most people's ignorance around learning disabilities, people think it means you're intellectually incapable. I'm not Rain Man. Every autistic person isn't Rain Man. I thought I was talking to people who understood dyslexia and ADHD, but they did not. They freaked out and were like, well, if you've got Tourette's, if it's going to be a problem, then we can just fire you and get someone else.
Speaker: I'm Carolyn Keel. and I host Beyond Six Seconds. a podcast where neurodivergent people share their lives and advocacy. One of my goals is making autism not something that's scary. I really want to help people understand dyspraxia a little bit better. Get the real life of Tourette syndrome out there. Stop thinking we were nothing but a joke.
Speaker: Let's shatter misconceptions and celebrate neurodiversity together. Listen at beyond6seconds .net. or wherever you get your podcasts
Speaker: So let's talk about Resident Evil. The film centres around Brian, a medical courier played by Austin Abrams, who is tasked with delivering a package to Raccoon City General Hospital through a snowstorm. Immediately this is a far cry from a regular action star styled Resident Evil protagonist. Essentially he feels more like a normal guy.
Speaker: But throughout the story, he's forced to confront a multitude of horrors, all the while trying to get his day job completed. If that isn't relatable, then I don't know what is. I think right off the bat, this will be a key determiner as to whether or not you enjoy the film. It really depends on what you're expecting from a Resident Evil film. As I said, they aren't trying to make Brian a rugged badass, especially made clear by his unassertive but at the same time problem -solving nature. And as this is going on, he is dealing with the debate of becoming a father, which is of course overshadowed when his journey is cut short. And I have to say that Abrams does a fantastic job of bringing this character to life. All right. Before I go on. I just want to point out that the cinematography of this film is legitimately fantastic. At the start, we have Brian driving through a pitch black road with trees looming over him. His light's the only thing keeping him on track. Even when he unintentionally encounters his first zombie, it's such a tense scene that somewhat reminds me of the start of Resident Evil Village, where, funny enough, it involves a sequence with a car accident where the main character is forced to walk through the snowy forest to basically find him. what they hit. I just want to point out as well that in the behind the scenes videos for the film, Krieger himself pointed out how the camera would follow which direction and Abrams would be looking during certain scenes, which did immerse you in the moment. And genuinely, the whole sequence up until the police car crash in front of him is masterfully done, between the third person over the shoulder shots, which reflect the perspective of the modern games and the occasional first person point of view. It's interesting to see how they blended identity of the game into the film. What I will say however is, and this is a personal thought here, is that I feel as if they showcased the best parts of the film in the trailer. Whether that be the falling bodies, which reportedly nearly killed Abrams during the film, to the creature crawling out of the house. I can't deny it, these were definitely the highlights of the film. What I liked as well was the fact that even with the first zombie encounter, it did feel relatively realistic and tense. After all, Brian wasn't about to start blasting right off the bat, unless there was no other option. and the fact he struggled with a one -on -one encounter before going on to the house was telling about how powerful the threats were out there, much like the games as well. The progression of the character is seen through things like the weapons he accumulates, as well as how capable he is of taking out certain enemies. I must say, the start made me excited to see what was going to happen next. Unfortunately though, I feel as if after such a tense beginning, This is where the film starts to lean towards a more comedic tone, which in my opinion undercuts any serious moments it may have had. That being said...
Speaker: The running gag with the padlocks did get a chuckle out of me, as I also asked in the same scene, well, why couldn't they have rammed a car through the gate that was locked? Only to be proven wrong a moment later. Thanks, Zach Krieger. Very cool. As for the easter eggs, there are several of them scattered throughout. There's the obvious typewriter, the ammo types, and even the green herbs and first aid sprays, which admittedly looked a little too clean and maybe out of place, but yeah, that's a bit of a nitpick. There was even a moment with a diamond key, similar to that in RE2 with the farm gate, admittedly it added to the atmosphere of the world which was well done. That being said, while I genuinely think the cinematography and the setting was done so well, I can see why this film is divisive amongst fans. And as I said before, The unfortunate issue for me stems from the comedy, which I'm not saying that this type of film can't have any. But there comes a point when it becomes over the top and slapstick. It isn't that bad initially, as it feels realistic for an average person in this situation who's out of their depth. We can sympathise with Brian, as he struggles with the prospects of becoming a father, all the while burying himself in work with the promise of more money. He's clumsy, yeah, but he's also relatively realistic in the way that most of us would act. After all, we would all like to think we would be Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield in that situation, when in reality we'd probably be more like character from Tattered Note Number 5 or something. But for me, the turning point of the film comes when Brian meets two umbrella agents, one being an archetypal stoic badass who meets a horrifying end, and a bumbling psychic who gets you dragged into the darkness to a, well, we know it. probably happened to him and it's such a shame as well because before that scene Brian is forced to go through this dark tunnel with abandoned vehicles and he goes through an ah RV where he meets a young girl who has of course hidden from her infected parents but unfortunately she has also been infected in the process and while the design of her is a little bit silly when she transforms it's a genuinely really tense scene and as much as I like to say oh why would you approach this young girl and you don't really know what you would do in that instance. And again, I think it adds to that idea of Brian being quite, well, not good around kids I suppose. But speaking of monster designs, while I find them interesting, there are a few that I didn't think particularly worked that well. Now before I go on, let me make one thing clear. Resident Evil has always been loosey -goosey with its monster variants. Throughout the series, we go from your bog -standard zombies in the first few games, and parasites in 4, to a guy literally turning himself into a zombie T -Rex in 6, and whatever the hell Wesker was trying to do in 5. Seriously, did he think that the T -Virus just stood for Thirst Trap Virus? My god.
Speaker: But in all seriousness, that is the somewhat beauty of Resident Evil. But I just didn't gel with the designs of these monsters. From the tumbleweed limb monster that stalked Brian, to a zombie that vomited acid in what I can only assume was based on the Spitter anime in Left 4 Dead 2, the designs really stripped what made them so impactful in the first place. Also, I'm gonna say it, there was no reason for that naked Baron Harkonnen in the sewers. That shot was made entirely for the trailer.
Speaker: See, the thing is, and it's something that I do think the film does understand at times, is that the viruses of Resident Evil are something that have such a deep and personal impact to those it infects. We've seen it throughout the games that it's not just about, ooh spooky monster, but the impact that it leaves behind is the true horror. Hell, even Resident Evil 6 got this part right. And I know that this isn't the type of film to deep dive into this kind of thing, but... I felt like they were trying to add a levity into parts that either didn't need it, or undermined the seriousness of certain plot elements. Now for the ending. God, I hated this ending. but maybe not for the reasons you might think. There's a number of zombie films that I've watched in the past where the protagonist, or one of their friends, becomes infected. And that isn't the problem. The problem is when you turn a tragic scene of someone losing their humanity to a virus and knowing that there's nothing they can do about it.
Speaker: into a gory, Cabin in the Woods style slapstick fest. I remember when I went to see this film at the cinema with my friend, I kept turning to him and asking why the hell they weren't injecting him with the cure already. And I heard that they made changes to the ending and post -production, and honestly, As I said, it's not the direction that they went in that I have an issue with. It's more them undercutting the seriousness of the moment with, haha, look at the incompetent scientists that also are smart enough to genetically engineer. one of the deadliest viruses out there. And while it's a cool nod to Brian seemingly getting infected with the J -Virus, the same one that the character Dr. Birkin in Resident Evil 2 seems to get infected with with the big SHOOT ME HERE SHOULDER EYE It's not consistent.
Speaker: I'm not going to sit here and pretend I'm a purist or anything by saying it should have followed the rules of the game, but for a film that has literal scenes of Brian yelling, it's like a video game. I felt somewhat disappointed that they couldn't remain consistent. I also didn't like how Brian turned into a high -pitched screaming cartoon character towards the end. Something that weirdly enough reminded me of that one Justice Smith character in Jurassic Park Fallen Kingdom. You know the one, when they're trapped in the lab and he starts screaming high -pitched because there's a dinosaur in there. God, that was a bad film.
Speaker: But anyway, I digress. To be honest, by the hospital part... It felt like the film had become more like Shaggy from Scooby -Doo wanting to get to the end. Zoinks, Scoob! I think the Umbrella Corporation are on their way! And that is not a slight of the actor, by the way. I genuinely think he did an incredible job throughout. It's just more the writing and the characterisation that let it down at this bit. Not to mention the maternity ward scene, which, don't get me wrong, is suitably creepy, but it also fell into the whole video game logic. moment is, well, Why would a maternity ward be the only point of access for a skybridge?
Speaker: I've said the phrase for the plot a lot in the past, but this felt like a key example of that. That, and I know it's probably symbolic of Brian's fear of fatherhood and everything, or at most the horrific realisation that he'll never be one because of the virus.
Speaker: but I feel as if they should have included that scene earlier rather than at the end. In summary... Clearing the bar to make a good Resident Evil film is so low that I keep tripping up on it at this point. But does it mean that this film should be treated the same? Well, it's complicated. Overall, I think in terms of horror films, this is such a well -shot film, with a compelling enough protagonist to set the foundation of a great movie. But on the flip side of that, I've seen a lot of Resident Evil fans bicker with one another about whether or not this is a good adaptation of the source material. What I will say is, I don't abide by the hate Krieger has received over the film, and I know that survival horror fans are especially particular about their representations of their franchises. That being said, I honestly think that despite its flaws, I definitely think this is a step in the right direction in how these films should be going. There will always be the games and animated films that represent the characters we know and love.
Speaker: Having a live adaptation does mean the limitations of course, but it also means having to be creative in the choices one makes.
Speaker: Some of my favourite zombie and infected films are just about some guy trying to survive, from Shaun of the Dead and Train to Busan to 28 Days Later and Hashtag Alive. The whole point of Resident Evil games is to empower the player to confront their fears and triumph over the bad guys. But with the movies, it allows us to take a step back and look at the p side characters who didn't make it.
Speaker: much like the NPCs, who we read second -hand accounts of in the games. It's not perfect, and the comedy does undercut a lot of the dramatic tension, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued by the idea of more films in this style. If they were to make them more Resident Evil adjacent, then perhaps it would taste better with the fans. That being said... I would take this direction a hundred times over the nth adaptation of the game characters being misrepresented in the live action series. So once again, the film's not perfect, but it's relatively enjoyable for what it is. So what did you think? Was 2026's Resident Evil on your top 10 film list this year? Or did it need more time?
Speaker: Whatever the case, leave your thoughts below and let us know because I would love to hear your thoughts on this film. But if you would like to check out more of our episodes, then you can check us out on our website, chattsunami .com, as well as all good podcast apps.
Speaker: A huge shout out to our Pandalorian patrons, Robotic Battletoaster, Ghostie, and Cryptic1991. Thank you so much for supporting the show. And if you would like early access to episodes, as well as a whole plethora of content, then you can check out our Patreon page. at patreon .com forward slash chat tsunami. But as always, thank you so much for listening in this spooky season. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm away to lock my door before Zack Krieger punches me in the face again. As always, stay safe, stay awesome, and most importantly, have a very hydrated Halloween.
Speaker: Ooooooh!
