Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City —The 10 Best References To The Resident Evil Games

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is very faithful to elements from the franchise. So which references will appeal most to the fandom?

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Films based on video game franchises nearly always go for fan service by including elements from the source material. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City mashed in the first two games’ characters Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Albert Wesker, among others, and also adapted aspects with which the fan base is very familiar.

The rebooted movie was much more generous with callbacks and direct adaptations than the previous Resident Evil films starring Mila Jovovich. Due to the fast-paced nature of the story, it’s possible that viewers may not have caught all the references. It’s worth checking out the ones that were either creatively included or connected with Resident Evil’s most popular elements.

The Giant Eye On Mutated William Birkin

While some of the characters in Resident Evil have relatable personalities, William Birkin’s isn’t one of them. He caused the mutations to occur and became a monster himself, with Birkin becoming a monster by the end of the movie. While this was a direct adaptation of the games, there was a reference to his appearance.

William had an eye popping out from the shoulder area, which was one of the standout features from the monster in Resident Evil 2. The film opted to include the eye as a reference to the fact that the games made it the weak area that players had to target during boss fights against William.

Claire And Leon’s Costumes

Although Leon wasn’t that interesting of a protagonist in the movie, Claire was one of the best characters in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. Regardless, their roles in the second game were referenced through their costumes, with Leon and Claire wearing the same outfits.

Claire’s red jacket and Leon’s policeman gear are considered iconic to fans of Resident Evil 2, which is why the film ensured the connection with the game was made through the characters’ outfits. Leon even acquired the police vest that he receives later in the events of Resident Evil 2.

The Raccoon City Orphanage

The orphanage is a location where Brian Irons kept Sherry Birkin hostage during Resident Evil 2, with the setting considered one of the horror hallmarks for the series because of the scary stealth sequence that takes place here as part of gameplay.

The movie didn’t place Irons as the fiendish baddie he was in the game, but the orphanage itself made an appearance, with Irons and Claire both seen there. It was also given a backstory related to Claire and Chris as a nod to the popularity that the orphanage enjoys as a backdrop to Resident Evil’s scarier levels.

The Jill Sandwich

While the characterization of Jill faithfully showed her to be among the bravest characters in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, many would have been more intrigued by the dialogue where she claimed that she had “Jill’s sandwich” with her after snatching it from Wesker.

This was a clever reference to the long-running joke that video game fans have enjoyed, which comes from the first game’s dialogue. In one scene, Jill was almost flattened, leading to dialogue about her turning into a “Jill sandwich.” The movie didn’t directly adapt the scene but did hand Jill a sandwich.

Wesker’s Suggestion For The S.T.A.R.S. Team To Split Up

There are hints to Wesker’s role as the real villain in the game before the grand reveal, with one of the more prominent ones when he suggested the S.T.A.R.S. team split up despite this being a disadvantage. The movie didn’t have the benefit of surprising viewers since Wesker is a well-known antagonist by now, yet included the splitting-up dialogue.

It was a reference to the fact that Wesker wanted to thin out the team so he could stealthily carry out his nefarious plans. Viewers are generally more genre-savvy these days and wouldn’t fall for the splitting-up technique, making Wesker’s suggestion something for fans to appreciate as a callback to the first game.

The Design Of The RPD Station

The most striking resemblance between the games and the movie might just be the appearance of Racoon City Police Department. The location seems pretty much identical to how it is in Resident Evil 2, complete with the staircase behind the front desk.

The RPD building is a landmark as far as video game fans are concerned, with the majority of the action for Claire and Leon taking place here during Resident Evil 2. The recreation in live-action is a way for the movie to both make reference to the games and enable fans to connect with the aesthetic.

“Moonlight Sonata” On The Piano

During one scene in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, Wesker unlocks a door by playing a few notes of “Moonlight Sonata” from Beethovan. This was a reference to the first game, where players needed to similarly access a secret room with the same sonata.

The callback wasn’t too overt since Jill was the character who played the notes in the game to access the Gold Emblem. Still, the incluse of “Moonlight Sonata” in the mansion was a way for the film to hark back to the original entry’s knack for leaving out clues for players to find.

The “Itchy Tasty” Words

One of the scenes features a zombie writing out the words “Itchy Tasty” on a window, which would be confusing to those who haven’t played the original game. It’s a callback to the animal keeper’s journal that is considered to be the first example of how the series strikes fear through notes found by the characters.

The journal had a chilling account of someone who had been infected at the mansion and slowly succumbed to the virus, eventually eating one of his colleagues and claiming he tasted “Itchy Tasty.” Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City went for a direct approach, although the exact words were retained.

Ben Bertolucci As A Locked-Up Conspiracy Theorist

Ben Bertolucci was used to evoke a sense of paranoia in players during the second game, appearing locked up in a jail cell claiming a conspiracy about Umbrella Corporation’s villainy. Despite not having a large role, he’s memorable for the way his fears turn out to be true.

The live-action version is a much more likable character in Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, although he doesn’t a big part either. Staying true to his characterization, Bertolucci showed up as a conspiracy theorist who’s locked up, which was a way for the movie to let game fans associate him to his role in the source material.

Using A Rocket Launcher As The Finishing Move

Just about every Resident Evil title has concluded with the use of a rocket launcher to dispose of the main villain or the primary monster. It’s a trademark of the series, as the weapon is presented only when the climactic moment arrives to provide players with an explosive way to end things.

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City’s best callback was when the rocket launcher was brought out by Leon Kennedy, who had also used it against the Tyrant in the second game. It was a good reference to what made the series so balanced in its action-horror department.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/welcome-to-raccoon-city-best-references-resident-evil-games/