When I watched the teaser some months ago, I said that, for this film to work, it needed to stick as closely to the games as possible, making changes only where necessary while keeping the core of what made them so memorable. Do that, and you'll satisfy the fans while still bringing in general audiences if the story is compelling enough. I also admitted that, while I liked the teaser, I wasn't fully convinced. Well... this trailer changed that.
By the time it finished, the first words out of my mouth were, "Yes, this is definitely for me." It might sound like I've done a complete 180, but I haven't. I already liked what I saw—I just wasn't sold. Oddly enough, the moment that finally won me over wasn't a monster reveal or a big action sequence. It was the protagonist frantically searching drawers for shotgun shells. Anyone who's spent time with the Resident Evil games knows that feeling. Running low on ammo while desperately hoping the next cupboard saves your life is practically a gameplay mechanic in itself. It's such a small detail, but it's exactly the kind of authenticity I wanted to see. On top of that, this trailer also gives us a much better idea of the story.
The trailer follows a courier making what should be a routine drop-off. After accepting another job, he accidentally hits someone on a snowy road, only for the body to mysteriously disappear. Looking for help, he takes refuge inside a nearby house, but something immediately feels off. The place is a mess, strange noises echo through the rooms, and after finding a shotgun, he desperately searches for ammunition as someone sprints through the snow towards the house. It's incredibly tense, and the frantic editing really sells the panic.
From there, the trailer ramps things up. We see him wandering through a deserted city, while Paul Walter Hauser explains that whatever happened in the town unfolded in just a matter of hours. Bodies fall from the sky, grotesque creatures begin emerging from impossible places, and the protagonist is left bloodied and fighting to survive. Just as he's about to pull the trigger on whatever's behind/past a door. At the end tag, we're finally told where he's heading. Raccoon City General.
That reveal alone was enough to put a smile on my face. Not that it was of any importance, but Raccoon City and Monsters/Zombies, this is simply another story told from the point of view of a random courier venturing into the city while all hell has broken loose. Plus, doing it this way does not put pressure on the studio and the makers of trying to stick as closely to the storylines within the game; they can play it a little fast and loose.
The teaser nailed the atmosphere, but this trailer finally gave me the confidence that the filmmakers understand what makes Resident Evil work. It feels tense, creepy, unpredictable and, most importantly, like it actually respects the games. If the finished film can maintain this level of tension while delivering on the horror, then this could be something special.
