Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness - Season One Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 20, 2022

It feels like, if one combines the live action and animated films and series, there are just as many, if not more, non-video game entries in the Resident Evil series than there are actual video games, which is where the franchise began its life on the original PlayStation console in 1996. Of course, this observation holds if one only considers the numbered, mainline Resident Evil games and not include the sprawl of secondary games and spinoffs that dwarf the filmed and animated content in number. Still, there’s no denying the franchise’s wide reach through a number of mediums including, with Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness - Season One, a four-episode animated season released on streaming giant Netflix, now on Blu-ray.

The series takes place in 2006. Leon (voiced by Nick Apostolides), who previously saved the president’s daughter and has successfully carried out a number of critical missions, meets with the President, along with Shen May (voiced by Jona Xiao) and Jason (voiced by Ray Chase), the latter of whom is known as “The Hero of Penamstan” for his heroic, albeit order-defying, rescue of wounded servicemen in the middle of an overseas military crisis. They have been called into the White House to investigate the hacking of a White House server containing sensitive government files. The server is on a secure internal White House network, making the hack an inside job. They are to find and apprehend the individual who carried out the hack. Then, the power goes out at the White House. Backup systems are not responding, and the press secretary transforms into a vicious, flesh-hungry zombie as do a number of other White House staff. The President is whisked to safety and Leon, Shen May, and Jason are sent via submarine to China to investigate that nation’s potential role in the hack, as suspected by Defense Secretary Wilson (voiced by Doug Stone). Meanwhile, Claire Redfield (voiced by Stephanie Panisello) investigates the Penamstan incident and unravels a shocking truth.

The series nicely balances action and dramatic narrative exposition as it powers through its rather terse four episode run (each episode runs around 25 minutes). Whether either of these elements are particularly engaging, or all that noteworthy, in any way is the real question, and the real answer is "not really." The series works just fine as disposable Zombie entertainment with a bit of narrative teeth to it, but it is Resident Evil, not high art, so don't expect to be overwhelmed by deeply resonating story content. What the series offers is a meaty run through classic Resident Evil scenarios that include plenty of gunplay, zombies, bioweapons, frightening creatures, and conspiracy. Essentially, it'll satisfy audiences looking for an essential series experience, so in that light it could be labeled as a success. The gunplay is very well done, the gore and creature effects are stout, and the series, short though it may be, reliably crams in everything longtime fans could want.

The film certainly accomplishes all it must on the technical front, including some nicely realized CGI that's on par with the best one is going to find in a modern-day video game cutscene. There's a depth and dimensionality to the characters, replete with vivid, complex details and organic movement (for the most part). Environments are equally precise, and at a glance the content might be mistaken for live action. The voice work is solid, too, and the action elements are fluid and packed with the sort of kinetic content fans demand of this type of animation.

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness - Season One Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The 1080p video transfer is very good as it's able to capture the source animation's complexities with ease. That also means it captures the source's drawbacks, which include fairly regular aliasing that teeters on bothersome. Shimmering can be found throughout, whether on hair or the submarine's interior or various other places throughout the four episodes. There's rarely a reprieve from some level of aliasing going on. The picture is also on the noisy side, revealing, particularly in darker scenes, a fairly steady barrage thereof. However, the image proper looks very good. All of the inherent visual complexities are present and accounted for, with complex facial details for instance, evident in every close-up. Location details are strikingly firm and stable as well. Color output is satisfactory. A good bit of the program takes place in lower light which can render tones a bit flat and muted, while the flashbacks to Penamstan, which are very reminiscent to Black Hawk Down, favor a dusty, sandy brown color. Still, red blood leaps off the screen as the main color attraction while other colors flow with impactful depth and pop. Black levels are adequately deep, too. This is hardly a reference animation release, but most of the core issues appear to trace back to the source.

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness - Season One Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack explodes with frequent depth and aggression. Gunfire is a main highlight. Weapons pop with serious punch and impact, each with their own distinguishable report but all filling the listening area with devastating potency. The combat flashbacks are particularly exciting, adding to the gunfire swirling helicopter rotors that not only slice through the stage but completely saturate it, including with a faux overhead-sounding component. Music is wonderfully intense, too, offering the sort of commanding front side stretch and engagement necessary for this type of program, while surrounds carry a good bit of support content. The track handles various zombie screeches, squishy gore, and other sounds with equally impressive clarity and placement, while slight support elements are well realized, too. Dialogue is clear and center positioned for the duration.

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness - Season One Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness - Season One contains a featurette. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does ship with a non-embossed slipcover.

• The Making of Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness (1080i, 34:59): Exploring project origins, cast and crew, story, and a number of the technical wizardries that helped bring the series to digital life. In both English subtitled Japanese.
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness - Season One Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

At four episodes, the series runs feature length, so why it was divided as it is rather than told as a continuous cinematic experience is anyone's guess, but as it is Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness - Season One plays well as four compact stories that merge into a tale that is classic Resident Evil through and through. The animation is solid, and so is the audio engineering, both of which translate well to Blu-ray. The season is skimpy on extras, containing only one feature, but it's enough to satisfy basic behind-the-scenes needs. Recommended to franchise fans.