FILM REVIEW: Resident Evil (2026)

Resident Evil - New Release Review

Director: Zach Cregger

Starring: Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser, Will Merrick

Written by: Zach Cregger, Shay Hatten

Produced by: Zaxh Cregger, Victor Hadida, Robert Kulzer, Roy Lee, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, Miri Yoon

Cinematography by: Dariusz Wolski

Original Score by: Hays Holloday, Ryan Holloday

Synopsis:

Follows a hapless courier tasked with delivering a package to a remote hospital. He soon finds himself caught in the middle of an outbreak and must fight through hordes of mutated creatures to survive.

Thoughts:

When it was first released on the Playstation in 1996, 'Resident Evil' became an overnight phenomenon defining the survival horror genre in the world of video games. Such success led to interest in Hollywood with the father of the modern zombie film, George A. Romero being lined up to direct a film adaptation of the game but his ideas were rejected. In his place Paul W. S. Anderson launched a financially successful yet highly convoluted six film series. Johannes Roberts tried his hand at rebooting the series with 'Welcome to Raccoon City' in 2021 and a year later Andrew Dabb developed a TV show for Netflix, but both were met with a tepid response from audiences and critics alike. Now one of the biggest names in horror at the moment, Zach Cregger is taking a stab at the franchise. 

His adaptation follows Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical courier who braves a heavy snowstorm to make a delivery to Raccoon City hospital. After hitting someone with his car on the journey there he soon finds out that not everything is as it seems. This event sets in motion what ends up being the worst night of his life as the simple delivery turns into a battle for survival when a viral outbreak threatens to overrun not just Raccoon City but the world. 

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The history of the 'Resident Evil' films on screen has been checkered to say the least. In many instances the attempts to shoehorn in characters and storyline elements from the games into the film have been a major part in their own downfall. In the runup to this film Cregger has been open about how his version was going to be an original story that takes place in the world of the game which was refreshing to hear (even if it faced derision from “purists” of the game who are more than welcome to either play the games again or watch walkthroughs on YouTube if that’s what they want from this film). This approach is a masterstroke as the backdrop of the game allows him to make a lean, mean horror comedy that moves at a relentless pace. 

The story is simple as it is basically Bryan having to deliver an item from point A to point B which essentially allows Cregger to make his own version of Scorsese’s 'After Hours' as his night goes from bad to worse with every scenario he encounters on the way to Raccoon City hospital. Whilst Cregger makes visual references to the games such as herbs, a typewriter or the type of shotgun ammunition, the way he frames shots in a first person or third person manner is what makes it a great adaptation. He offers the audience the feeling of what it is like to play the games that is woven naturally into the narrative of the film.

Through moments like this he has a clear understanding of the language of the games and the incorporation of it into this film is a well measured masterstroke. 

As Bryan, Austin Abrams is terrific at playing the ultimate loveable idiot. He is strewn into a night from hell thanks to the corporate negligence of the Umbrella corporation and in trying to do what he thinks is the right thing he makes all the wrong decisions which is where the majority of the comedy in the film springs from. It is these stupid mistakes that make him all the more charming as he is an ordinary guy unable to fathom the horrors of the extraordinary situation he finds himself in. Be it his vendetta with padlocks or constantly cursing to himself over the situation he is in, there is never a dull moment when he is on screen as we share in his frustrations. At times the near slapstick manner in which he is thrown around the screen or drenched in some kind of gore or viscera whilst interacting with the monstrosities before him reminded me a lot of Bruce Campbell’s Ash from 'The Evil Dead' 

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For all of these comedic moments, the horror elements of the film are just as strong, especially during the opening act. Cregger manages to achieve a feat that has been dormant in the genre for a while in how he makes a zombie scary again. The manner in which he builds up tension is done brilliantly and even his use of jump scares throughout the film are well measured making for one hell of a thrillride. The electronic score from Hays Holladay and Ryan Holladay works well at underpinning this sense of terror (and is quite reminiscent of the score from The Thing) as well as propelling the action forward when it needs to. On the action, Cregger fully understands the importance of escalation with this aspect of the film as it grows larger in scope the closer Bryan comes to making his delivery keeping you on the edge of your seat right until the end. 

With 'Resident Evil', Zach Cregger hasn’t just made the best adaptation of the game yet but possibly one of the best video game adaptations to date. Every aspect of the film pays reverence to the source material without indulging in it like so many other adaptations try and fail to do in the past. He takes the framework of the games and makes a rip roaring horror comedy led by a star-making performance from Austin Abrams. With this film alongside 'Barbarian' and 'Weapons', Cregger continues to be one of the biggest names in the genre at the minute. 

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'Resident Evil' is in Irish/UK cinemas on September 18th