Spoiler-Free Review of “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” on Demand: “You were almost a Jill Sandwich.”

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“There’s something seriously wrong with this place…”

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City released in theaters back in November 2021 and is currently available to stream on demand. Based on the popular video game series, the action-horror film stars Kaya Scodelario, Robbie Amell, Tom Hopper, Hannah John-Kamen and Avan Jogia. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

After plenty of films, we now get a prequel/reboot with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, as a group tries to survive the night when all hell breaks loose thanks to the Umbrella Corporation. 

Here is the trailer:

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City attempts to follow the actual story-lines from the first two games, but does it bring anything truly necessary to the franchise? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

Brings the game to life.

This entry to the Resident Evil franchise does a decent job of bringing the story-lines from the first two games to life, following the timeline and giving fans the chance to recognize plenty of scenes and settings. I thought this was the film’s strongest point and was the only thing that really set it apart from the other films. I liked all of the Easter eggs and thought the film put forth a valiant effort here.

Fun cast.

We got an entirely new cast this time around but I thought they did a good job and I liked a lot of the actors. I think they tried their best with what they were given and it was easy to root for some of them.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

Unnecessary flashbacks…

I don’t really remember any of this from the games but I guess the writers behind the film felt the need to give our main character a backstory to further its plot along, but it felt like excess fluff and I’m not really sure that it did too much for the overall story.

Did we really need another Resident Evil movie?

My biggest con is that the film didn’t really do anything that unique or different. I appreciate that it tried to bring fans the “gamer” angle, but I much prefer the original films. This has been done before and it felt stale at times. The scares didn’t have the same impact on me because I knew what to expect, but it wasn’t a bad movie. It just wasn’t really necessary in my opinion.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

I’m 50/50 on this one…

The film wasn’t a complete dud and it had a fun cast and some cool moments for fans of the game. That being said, it didn’t really do anything truly extraordinary to earn a rightful place in the franchise. I think I’ll go re-watch Resident Evil: Apocalypse now…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Stranger” on Netflix: A Complex Thriller Worthy of your next Binge-Watch

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“A secret revealed is a secret destroyed.”

The Stranger premiered on Netflix on January 31st 2020 with 8 episodes (40-45 minutes in length).  It stars Richard Armitage, Siobhan Finneran, Anthony Head, Dervla Kirwan, and Hannah John-Kamen.

The show is based on the book of the same name by Harlan Coben.  It is a mystery thriller that follows the lives of several families, as secrets are exposed by a stranger, creating a vortex of lies, murder, and a quest to uncover the truth.

This is not the first crime thriller that Netflix has released, but it’s difficult to deliver some worthy twists without over-complicating things.

If you enjoy movies like The Call, The Girl on the Train, and Gone Girl, this new show will make you feel right at home, but does it do enough to stand out as a worthy thrill ride?  Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The Stranger Netflix 4
Images courtesy of Netflix

The mystery will keep you invested and guessing the entire time.

Adam Price basically has his entire life turned upside down when a stranger approaches him with a shattering secret about his wife.  As we begin to uncover the truth with Adam, you will find yourself on the edge of your seat, which makes the watch entertaining and fast-paced.  Unnecessary set-up does not get in the way, as we dive right into the mystery from the opening minutes of the series.

An amazing cast.

Richard Armitage does a fantastic job with his role, but I was also really impressed by Siobhan Finneran’s portrayal of Johanna Griffin.  Let’s not forget that we also have Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum, Anthony Head playing a supporting role to perfection.  The list goes on and on and every single performance was spot on.

The Cons:

The Stranger Netflix Show 1
Images courtesy of Netflix

Way too many sub-plots.

Yes, this is one of those shows where everything connects.  However, we certainly get a lot thrown our way and some of it seems beyond outrageous.  If you pay attention, a lot of the connections and reveals make sense later on, but some of them are actually never explained, so I’m wondering why we didn’t just focus on the main mystery, which was compelling enough.

It’s easy to get lost in this show and perhaps it is too complex for its own good, but there are enough reasons why you should still watch the show in its entirety anyway.

So am I in or out?

The Stranger Netflix Show 2
Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent!  While the show may be unnecessarily complex at times, it is the epitome of the perfect weekend binge-watch.  You can watch all eight episodes in one sitting and you will probably want to because each episode leaves you wanting more, as you try to figure out the mystery going on.

I tend to thoroughly enjoy mystery thrillers with a touch of Lifetime drama thrown in and this show exceeded my expectations.  While this isn’t the best show or thriller I have ever seen, it delivers as a quick and entertaining show you can watch while throwing in some unexpected twists and moments that will keep you guessing.

Keep these coming, Netflix!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Stranger in the comments section below.  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

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