Netflix’s New Horror Show Is Getting Some Rough Reviews

Netflix’s new horror show, Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, is getting some rough reviews online. The series, which is based on the iconic video game franchise of the same name, debuted on July 8 and is set between the events of Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5. The first season consists of only four episodes, all running for less than 30 minutes each, but it seems that may still be too much for some viewers.

To clarify, Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness is a new animated series and not the forthcoming live-action Resident Evil series that is being developed by Netflix. That show will star Lance Reddick (The John Wick franchise) as Resident Evil villain Albert Wesker, along with actresses Adeline Rudolph, Siena Agudong, Paola Nunez, Tamara Smart and Ella Balinska. As for Infinite Darkness, critics have not had high marks for the series, with Den of Geek’s John Saavedra writing, “Looks aren’t enough to carry this particularly self-serious chapter, which devolves into an action shooter more often than not.” Scroll down to read more reviews of Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness.

“A Movie Divided Into Four Parts”

Paste Magazine writer Austin Jones noted that the show “advertises itself as a miniseries” when “in reality, it’s more akin to a movie divided into 4 parts.” In summing up his criticism, Jones wrote, “Infinite Darkness has a barrier to entry due to its heavy reliance on a preexisting investment in the greater Resident Evil series. Maybe we should count ourselves lucky for that.

“Lacks a Gripping Story”

Over at Nerd Reactor, John Nguyen cited a lack of thrill-factor in Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness as part of why it did not grab them. “The action is solid, but nothing blew us away,” Nguyen wrote. “The tactical choreography is definitely better than the animated Resident Evil films since it was more grounded.”

The review’s Final Reaction section, Nguyen offered, “Seeing Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy together is always a treat, but Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness lacks a gripping story and engrossing supporting characters, resulting in an uneventful viewing experience.”

“Just Too Cliche”

Grace Randolph, from Beyond the Trailer, complimented the animation of Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, but stated that she feels there are much better shows like it on Netflix. “It’s interesting to see this kind of animation, but the story here is just too cliche,” Randolph explained. “Not as good as the other adult animated shows already available on Netflix.”

“The Downsides…Outweigh the Highlights”

“The first problem is tone,” writes Jonathon Wilson for Ready Steady Cut. “Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness sits between the fourth and fifth games on the timeline, but the public’s relationship with the franchise has drastically changed since then.” 

“The second problem is length, both of the season overall and the individual episodes,” Wilson later added, eventually concluding, “The downsides, I think, outweigh the highlights, leading to an overall experience that is inconsistent in everything from its tone and plotting to its animation and character focus. Hopefully, the next one will be better.”

“An Overall Disappointment”

James “Magic” Perkins reviewed Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness for Starburst Magazine, and had a few nice things to say about the show’s animation, but felt that “side characters can often look stilted and flat.” Perkins also criticized the show falling “down is its cliche plot points and lackluster stand-out moments.”

 Perkins concluded his review by writing that “the overall implementation of this seems rather unnecessary in the grand schemes of the overarching Resident Evil narrative. An overall disappointment for fans compared to its CG predecessors but far superior to its live-action counterpart.”

“It’s a Fine TV Show”

Not all the reviews of Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness have been negative, however, as some have found the show to be “fine.” AV Club writer Sam Barsanti feels it would have made for a “bad video game,” that it works alright as a TV series.

“Nobody is going to confuse it for high art, certainly,” Barsanti writes, “but what didn’t really work in video games and what didn’t make sense in the Milla Jovovich-led movies surprisingly does work as a CG four-episode TV show.”

“A Step in the Right Direction”

Finally, Taylor Lyles of IGN Movies also praised the series with some small compliments, offering, “Despite predictability on who would serve as an antagonist, the bad performance and animation by certain minor characters, and the imbalance of importance and screen time for our two protagonists, Infinite Darkness is a step in the right direction.”