Lickers are genetically-engineered creatures developed by the Umbrella Corporation in the Resident Evil games and films. In the games, they are created by exposing human T-Virus carriers to secondary infection, causing them to mutate into squat, quadrupedal beasts. These creatures possess long claws for ripping prey to pieces and even climbing walls and ceilings. Their muscle tissue has overdeveloped and completely torn away the skin. They also have exposed brains and have no eyes, relying on their super-sensitive hearing to track prey. They earn the name "Licker" from their incredibly long tongues, which they can use to snare or impale victims.
Being one of the most popular monsters in the Resident Evil franchise, Lickers have appeared in various films.
Film Appearances[]
Paul W.S. Anderson film series[]
Resident Evil[]
Only one Licker is seen in the first film. It is first witnessed inside a containment pod in the Hive's lower levels, being fed nutrients intrevenously through several tubes. After the survivors' first battle with the undead, one of the tanks is damaged and the Licker inside awakens, tearing its way out and wandering through the corridors of the Hive. It is only after it appears on the train platform and kills Spence Parks that the survivors become aware of it. After partially devouring Spence, the Licker mutates and grows larger, stronger and faster. Several bony plates emerge from its flesh and its lower jaw splits into a pair of mandibles. It then makes its way back towards the lab area where Alice, Rain and Matt are trapped inside a flooded room. The group make it out before the mutant Licker breaks in and head down to the train platform where they make their escape.
The Licker pursues and kills Kaplan, but Matt and Alice manage to finish it off by opening a door in the deck beneath it. It falls through on to the tracks while the train is moving, dragged along because its tongue has been nailed to the deck grille with a steel pipe. As the monster is scraped across the tracks at high speed, the intense friction sets the creature on fire. Matt then closes the deck hatch, snapping off the Licker's tongue and leaving the monster to burn on the tracks.
Resident Evil: Apocalypse[]
In the second film, the Umbrella Corporation re-open the Hive to discover what happened down there. In doing so, they release hundreds of zombies and several other creatures into Raccoon City, leading to the town's eventual destruction. A group of Lickers also escape from the Hive and are seen inside the church where Jill Valentine, Terri Morales and Peyton Wells are taking shelter. Alice arrives at the church by crashing a motorcycle through a window, which slams into one Licker then blows up when Alice shoots its fuel tank, destroying the creature with it. The other two Lickers are quickly dispatched as well; Alice kills one by using her newfound super-strength to kick a church pew at the creature and crush it against the wall. The final Licker is killed when Alice shoots down a large stone crucifix that falls atop the monster and pins it down; Alice then finishes it with a shotgun blast to the head.
Resident Evil: Retribution[]
In the fifth Resident Evil film, a giant Licker is deployed by the Red Queen inside the Umbrella Prime facility to kill Leon Kennedy and his strike team. The creature manages to kill the group's tech expert by grabbing him with its tongue and biting off his head. It later chases down the team through the Moscow test bed, only for Alice to bring a subway tunnel collapsing down upon it. The Licker survives being buried and smashes its way out, tracking Alice and the team down to the elevator up to the base's submarine pen. When it finds them, it kills Good Rain and snatches up the deaf child Becky, taking her to its "nest" and placing her inside a strange cocoon. Alice follows the monster to rescue Becky and seems to kill it with repeated shots to its brain. This doesn't finish the Licker, however, as it follows Alice and Becky into the base's cloning plant. Alice finally kills the creature by blowing it up with a belt of grenades.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City[]
A single Licker appears when Claire Redfield, Leon Kennedy and Brian Irons enter the Raccoon City Orphanage. There is no explanation given as to the origin of the creature, but given that the film is more closely tied to the game series than the Anderson films, it is generally accepted that it shares its origins with its video game counterparts.
While Leon, Claire and Irons investigate the orphanage, the Licker ambushes Irons, using its tongue to pluck him off the floor before it mauls him to death. After dropping Irons' corpse, the beast attacks Leon and Claire. It is shot a number of times, but not enough to kill it. However, Leon and Claire are saved by the timely intervention of Lisa Trevor, a mutated girl that had spent most of her life as an Umbrella test subject. Lisa tackles the Licker from behind and crams the shackles binding her hands into the monster's mouth, using them to break its jaw and upper spine, killing it.