If you are familiar with horror films, you’ll know George A. Romero. He was an exceptional film director, actor, writer, executive producer, editor, and skilled cinematographer. Most importantly, George A. Romero expertly utilised a groundbreaking concept in several of his movies: zombies. He revolutionised cinema with multiple cult horror classics, including Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead.
Not only did Romero’s efforts and creativity change cinema, but they also significantly changed the gaming world. In 1996, a PlayStation game known as Resident Evil was released. Upon its release, it didn’t take long before the word spread, and sales for the game exceeded everyone’s expectations, particularly Capcom and its creators. You might not realise that the game and its primary setting were inspired by George A. Romero’s passion for horror, mainly through his zombies, which serve as the focus in Resident Evil.
The opening act of this documentary offers an insightful overview of Romero’s film career and his significant impact on cinema and video games. This documentary also features informative narration from Pablo Kuntz and interviews with notable figures in the industry, such as Matt Blazi, George Demick, John Wrightson, and Ben Rubin. Beyond telling us about Romero and his career, the documentary also highlights Romero’s plans for a Resident Evil motion picture. Over the years, it has also become less known that Romero was once attached to make the first Resident Evil film. His vision, ideas, and concepts would have vastly differed from what we ultimately received in the 2002 film, which starred Milla Jovovich and was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. George A. Romero’s vision for Resident Evil would have combined various elements to create a unique experience, focusing more on the aspect of horror and less on action.
I have always been passionate about the Resident Evil games and deeply admire George A. Romero. I cherish the memories of experiencing Resident Evil for the first time and the countless thoughts and feelings accompanying this memory and game. As I dove into this documentary, I felt like a teenager all over again and was excited to return to the games I fell in love with.
While learning about the game’s origins and Romero’s film career was insightful- despite some key details already being familiar to me as a devoted fan- the documentary’s title and marketing implied that the entire focus of the runtime would revolve around what Romero’s Resident Evil film would have been. However, the end product is more of a documentary about George A. Romero himself and the history of Resident Evil. By the end, I felt this documentary only briefly touched on what could have been his Resident Evil film, leaving viewers waiting for this information. If you’re unfamiliar with Romero or the Resident Evil Games, you will still gain valuable historical insights. There is also some interesting information about the pressures associated with the game’s sequels.
I also discovered that Romero played a key role in the publicity for Resident Evil 2 (also known as Biohazard 2), which included working on an expensive commercial with well-known actors to promote an upcoming release for PlayStation. For this promotion, he created a two-minute promo clip. Using the footage from this promotion, he also re-edited it to make a short film that, unfortunately, was only shown to a select few. Following the second game’s success, Capcom turned their attention to Romero. Fortunately, the script and vision he pitched to Capcom are shared through this documentary through a combination of narration and behind-the-scenes footage or images.
Overall, as a passionate fan of Resident Evil and a lover of all things horror films, I found this documentary insightful yet somewhat disappointing due to my expectations created by the film’s title. The title, George A. Romero’s Resident Evil, suggests a focus on the collaboration between Romero and the Resident Evil franchise, but this is, in fact, a minor element of the film’s finished product. However, if you’re unfamiliar with anything Resident Evil or the career of director and writer George A. Romero, you will gain a lot from watching this documentary. Viewers will comprehensively understand the Resident Evil journey and how the games and movies achieved success, along with discussions about Romero’s contributions, opportunities, and challenges. Evidently, the filmmaker is a dedicated Resident Evil fan, and the details surrounding the game are well presented. Learning about Romero’s greatness, legacy, and impact is enlightening, as it extends beyond just the gaming franchise; he has influenced the entire world of horror. It’s also apparent that he faced many challenges within Hollywood. Ultimately, I wished the documentary had focused solely on Romero and the near creation of his Resident Evil film. Unfortunately, this aspect receives only slight attention and is often accompanied by tedious narration. While most of the interviews are well done, some feel unnecessary, and the film’s creative choice of using a small old retro television to present them seemed cool to begin with but only became increasingly tiresome. Fans of Resident Evil and George A. Romero should check this one out, but I would perhaps advise you to ignore the film’s title.
George A. Romero’s Resident Evil (2025) will be available in Australia TBA!
FILM SCORE: 6.610
Published: 11th January 2025
Written by: Peter Walkden
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