“Evil Has Always Had A Name” Resident Evil Short Film Doesn’t Sugar Coat The Outbreak

By:Musu Murray

With the anticipated release of the latest RE game, Resident Evil: Requiem, the fan community is hyped about the story and gameplay, and ogling Leon’s charming new look. In light of that excitement, a YouTube channel named Residence of Evil posted a live-action short film in honor of the game. The story is about the beginning of the viral outbreak that happened in Raccoon City, featuring a mother-daughter duo with Maika Monroe filling the maternal role.

“Evil Has Always Had A Name”

The film takes place just before the T-Virus outbreak in Raccoon City, with the mother, played by Maika Monroe, narrating about the time before everything disappeared. A girl and her mother are blissfully enjoying a playful evening at home, with the voice-over reminiscing about the idyllic scene. The scene and voice shift to the chaos as sirens roar outside, an emergency broadcast comes on their TV, and screams echo in the distance. Absolute chaos reigns, survival is minimal, and ruin is imminent.

A “Realistic” Memory During Resident Evil’s Birth

Image from Resident Evil live-action short film Evil Has Always Had A Name, showing Maika Monroe staring at an emergency broadcast on her TV
Screenshot of Mother Watching Emergency Broadcast in Resident Evil Live Action Short Film, Courtesy of Musu Murray via Residence of Evil

The Resident Evil universe has always been post-apocalyptic, with the looming threat of a new viral mutation; however, a brief glimpse into the time before the outbreak feels unnatural. The warm, homely vibe of the mother and daughter experiencing a “normal” life isn’t exaggerated, giving a grounded reality that could have existed in the past. Even though this is a fictional world, the delivery of this brief glimpse into a societial downfall is real enough and gives us a gut punch.

The Inner Workings Deserve Applause

Resident Evil short film, Evil has Always Had A Name, shows a mother and daughter hiding from an monster crawling on the ceiling
Screenshot of A Mother Hiding From A Monster Crawling On The Ceiling in Resident Evil Short Film, Courtesy of Musu Murray via Residence of Evil

The emergency evacuation plays out well, starting with a state-of-emergency broadcast, and the panic of having normality disrupted is realistic. The special effects are great, and the chaos comes off as disorienting but not to the point that the audience would be confused as to what’s happening. As a fan of the RE series or someone new to the universe, the story is smooth and straightforward to understand. The cinematography is professional, and the editing overall is fantastic.

For the acting, Monroe utilizes the fear naturally, given her experience with otherworldly threats in “It Follows.” The kid actress is also talented in expressing the joy and distress of the entire collapse of order without having to say an audible word. The background characters aren’t memorable, but with the effects, they are used decently and only draw the audience’s attention at the right time.

I Can’t Stop Going Back to This Chaos

This short film is an awesome intro sample, not only to Resident Evil: Requiem, but to the whole universe, as it depicts the beginning of the end. Raccoon City didn’t get much of screen time for its pre-outbreak days, so this little slice is enough to set the stage for its downward spiral. In fact, the short run time also acts as a representation of how fast things can fall apart and get out of hand. “Evil Has Always Had A Name” will linger with you because it’s the origin of how Resident Evil came to be.

Musu Murray is a graduate of Winthrop University with a B.S. in Multidisciplinary Chemistry & B.A. in Illustration Visual Communication. She can understand the technical jargon but prefers writing easy-to-digest reports that get straight to the point. She is a massive horror fan and loves the arts. When she's not writing, you can find her either at her easel desk painting, or bundled up in the dark watching cult classics. From gaming to gardening, she will get her hands on whatever topic she finds.