Billed as a "very faithful" adaptation of the Resident Evil franchise, Welcome to Raccoon City has had fans of the video games on the edge of their seats.

After all, we all know how big-screen video game adaptations tend to work out.

Now, ahead of Welcome to Raccoon City's long-awaited release next week, the first reactions to the feature-length 'origin story' are trickling in – and the consensus is positive, if not a little muted.

The good news is, the new Resident Evil movie is "incredibly faithful to the games" and will certainly offer movie-goers a fun time. The bad news ? Well, it doesn't quite live up to the "terror or tension" the game has so expertly delivered over the years.

resident evil welcome to raccoon city leon s kennedy an d claire redfield
Sony Pictures

Related: New Resident Evil movie reveals Easter eggs from the game series

"Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is incredibly faithful to the games," Digital Spy's review reads. "But ultimately [it] tries to squeeze too much into its runtime leaving it feeling rushed. Everything looks the part, including the well-cast actors, yet there's just none of the game's terror or tension."

But don't just take Digital Spy's word for it – take a look at some of the first reactions to Welcome to Raccoon City below.

"Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City may not be perfect but god damn was it a blast. Killer soundtrack, atmospheric as f*ck, and lots and lots and lots of gore!" said film critic Shannon McGrew, while Slash Film's Matt Donato added: "It respects the games as much as the trailer suggests. Works well when ramping tension through tight mansion combat. Owes plenty to Resident Evil 1's virtual cinematography. Not perfect, but works?"

resident evil welcome to raccoon city
Sony Pictures

Related: Resident Evil reboot gets official title as first plot details are confirmed

Meanwhile, another shared: "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is a good time. The script is underwhelming to say the least, but it has a great 90s action horror camp vibe to it, loads of gore and tons of fun references for the fans. Far from perfect but I enjoyed it."

One was a little more optimistic in their review of the atmosphere created, saying: "As far as video game movies go, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is solid. Feels like Assault on Precinct 13 in the Resident Evil universe, has a few killer set pieces and Johannes Roberts creates palpable atmospheric dread that lingers throughout. So many Resident Evil/general horror nods too!"

Equally, another added of their enjoyment: " As a fan, I enjoyed Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City! The entire theater raved during major set pieces. The trailers and clips don't do it justice. Zombies and Lisa Trevor were extremely badass. Ending felt rushed thats my only gripe."

resident evil welcome to raccoon city lisa trevor
Sony Pictures

Starring Skins' Kaya Scodelario, Avan Jogia, Umbrella Academy's Tom Hopper, and stars from the likes of Sons of Anarchy, the Arrowverse, and Ant-Man and The Wasp, Welcome to Raccoon City has been billed an "ensemble piece" by writer and director Johannes Roberts.

"Once the booming home of pharmaceutical giant Umbrella Corporation, Raccoon City is now a dying Midwestern town," the official synopsis reads.

"The company's exodus left the city a wasteland... with great evil brewing below the surface. When that evil is unleashed, a group of survivors must work together to uncover the truth behind Umbrella and make it through the night."

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City opens in cinemas on November 24 in the US and on December 3 in the UK.


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Rianne Houghton
Rianne Houghton is a freelance news writer at Digital Spy.