You've Probably Never Watched The Only Resident Evil Movie With A 100% On Rotten Tomatoes
The "Resident Evil" franchise has spread much like the zombie plague it depicts. Although it began in the realm of video games, there are now feature films, both live-action and animated, television series, comics, novels, and even a filmed stage production in Japan. All of these projects have their fans and detractors, but when it comes to the movie adaptations specifically, critical acclaim has often been elusive.
Looking at the live-action "Resident Evil" movies on Rotten Tomatoes, you'll see critical scores ranging from 19% to the relatively healthy 55%, but with none of them cresting into the "fresh" range. So, considering that, you might be surprised to hear that there's one film set in Raccoon City that not only boasts a 100% critic's score on Rotten Tomatoes, but has also remained a relatively obscure piece of the "Resident Evil" mosaic. It is a CGI film that didn't rack up tons of reviews upon release, but considering how the rest of the franchise (including the other CGI features) has fared, it's an accomplishment worth noting.
If you're one of the "Resident Evil" fans still coping with the terrible news of the recent cancellation of the Netflix series, you can take heart that there is a well regarded "Resident Evil" movie out there that you might have missed.
The CGI animated Resident Evil: Damnation came out in 2012
A phenomenon like a "Resident Evil" movie with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes deserves some kind of explanation right away. The 2012 installment "Resident Evil: Damnation" has just five reviews listed on the site. As a direct-to-video CGI feature, "Damnation" was simply not put in front of as many critics as its live-action counterparts, which is likely one reason why its score has managed to stay so high.
But is it the only reason? The audience score for "Resident Evil: Damnation" is a healthy 70%, which suggests that this isn't simply a fluke or product of self-selection bias. And if you look at the actual critical reviews themselves, you'll see praise like this enthusiastic blurb from film reviewer David Hogan: "It's a unique spin on a good traditional setting, and is a very fun watch, especially if you're a fan of the game series." Another critic, R.L. Shaffer at IGN, wrote in 2012, "It's also easily the best of the Resident Evil films, live-action or animated."
And if you're still of the opinion that the movie somehow managed to skate its way to a high RT score by default, here's one last piece of evidence in its favor. In 2017, it got a sequel, called "Resident Evil: Vendetta," and with only seven reviews to its name on Rotten Tomatoes, its critic's score is only 43% and its audience score is 46%. Similarly, "Resident Evil: Degeneration," another CGI film that came out in 2008, only has a 67% critic's score and a 57% audience score. Even in the smaller pool of CGI "Resident Evil" movies, "Damnation" stands high above the rest.
So, if you've neglected "Resident Evil: Damnation" because it's animated, or because it was never released in theaters, or because you'd simply never heard of the movie until now, it might be worth checking out.