'Resident Evil' Review
Release Date: 09/18/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Action. Comedy. Horror. SciFi.
MPAA: Rated R.
Distributor: Sony Pictures.
The Verdict: A Maybe
The classic survival horror franchise, Resident Evil, has been attempted and rebooted on the big screen, probably more times than a missile has been used to take out the final boss in the games. Director Zach Cregger, known for Barbarian and Weapons, has reanimated the beloved franchise for another iteration, and Resident Evil is absolutely a standout for the franchise, not because it gets the story right; it's simply because Cregger understands the games.
Cregger steered away from the long-desired plot of the Raccoon Police Department revealing the mystery of Umbrella Corp's sinister dealings. Instead, we get an all-new character, Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, a medical transport courier who takes on a last-minute job to bring a high-priority package to the Raccoon City hospital. Dealing with the harsh winter weather and nothing more than a deadline to meet, he sets out on his side quest within the greater Resident Evil lore, something that the audience wouldn’t be familiar with, nor would they know the survival skills needed.
Bryan is meant to be the “player” who doesn’t have the skills of some of the R.P.D. ’s finest. This is at the core of Cregger’s vision of the character.
Bryan is absolutely the person who has no sense of the seriousness of this situation; in every scenario he approaches, he does so with an oblivious, guess-and-check aura, hoping for the right outcome. It almost leans too hard into his lack of survival awareness. Many moments I found myself internally asking, why didn't he put the ladder over there? Why did he shoot at that? Why isn’t he looking for this particular item to get through this hurdle easier? Bryan is so useless, coated in blind luck, that it’s harder than tank controls to comprehend his actions and choices. It seems unlikely that the average person would be so out of their depth, and it unfortunately works against the character's likability; asking the audience to care about his well-being is a dilemma in itself.
Even beyond his ability to survive, Bryan’s dialogue consists of abundant jokes and awkward self-ranting for comedic relief. Instead of getting as far away as he can from a threat, the character stands around cursing at whatever is in his eyesight. The high level of discomfort, followed by lowbrow comedy, keeps the tone from really sticking out. It’s hard to feel for a character being chased by an infected after they just fell on an electric cattle fence for laughs.
Despite the comedic approach, Resident Evil still captures the game's identity. Cregger adds details in the smallest moments: from over-the-shoulder camera angles to first-person jumps, you can find touches from the franchise throughout. Even the transition from one setting to the next gives viewers a cue about the level's construction. Items like first-aid sprays, herbs, shotgun shells, and locks without keys scattered throughout the world feel like the virus-infected landscape they're meant to be. They aren’t necessarily important or even relevant to the story, but they certainly flesh out the experience for fans to appreciate. These subtle adaptations of mechanics blend well throughout the film to give the viewer the impact needed, even something as simple as finding a weapon, keeping track of ammo, and upgrading your weapon to something with more kick as the threats inevitably get bigger along the way. And the threats do grow through the night.
It isn’t Resident Evil without an onslaught of creatures, and the pacing does a good job of reminding you that something could be around every corner. While there isn’t necessarily a wide range of bioweapons to pop up along the way, Cregger gives enough variety of both familiar and new abominations to squirm over. Some feel like cameos, while others are more prominent stalkers. Nonetheless, the gore and intensity don’t ease up when they're on screen.
Resident Evil struggles tonally, but fans of the franchise will find it satisfying, with lore-rich moments; it just skips over the main plot so many are familiar with to introduce a more personal story for Bryan. He may make poor and illogical decisions, but Abrams executes his character in an impactful way, whether you root for him or not. Cregger delivers a strong adaptation with hopeful glimmers for the franchise's future.
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