Whatever your preconceptions of what a live-action Resident Evil film should look like, put them to one side and lock in. Director Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons) has delivered a new adaptation of the iconic Capcom franchise that trades plot literalism for pure, unadulterated survival horror energy. Arriving in theaters on September 18, this reboot shows a deep appreciation for stacked odds and freakish bio-weapons, ably adapting the spirit—if not the exact letter—of the games into a jet-fueled cinematic experience packed with mounting tension, dark laughs, and a stellar lead performance from Austin Abrams.
Whether you’re a lifelong gamer or a horror fanatic looking for your next theater fix, this fast-paced reboot proves that video game movies can thrive when they subvert expectations rather than just copy-pasting lore.
A Jet-Fueled Sprint Through Raccoon City
What becomes clear from the very first frame is that Resident Evil has serious pep in its step. Clocking in at a lean 95 minutes, the film is here for a good time, not a long time. The narrative hits the ground running as Bryan (Austin Abrams), an everyday medical courier, accepts a last-minute, high-pay assignment to deliver a critical package through the mountains to Raccoon City General Hospital.
We encounter our first zombie less than ten minutes in. From that moment forward, Cregger rarely lets a beat go by without putting Bryan through a funhouse maze of grotesquery he is entirely ill-equipped to handle—often to hilarious effect.
The movie is frequently very funny, but never at the franchise’s expense. Cregger displays a keen instinct for judging when to lean into the campy pedigree of the games for comedic effect, and when to let Bryan’s sheer ineptitude derail an action sequence in unpredictable ways. The director excels at building tension where you can never quite tell if the payoff will be a jump scare or a punchline. This dark comedic streak has become a Cregger trademark, serving as a pitch-perfect counterbalance to the horrific biohazard outbreak unfolding around the city.
Austin Abrams Steps Up as the Ultimate Everyman Hero
Far removed from the superheroic, gun-toting mold of game icons like Leon S. Kennedy or Chris Redfield, Bryan is a relatable everyman just trying to earn extra cash while processing high-stakes relationship anxiety with his offscreen girlfriend, Michelle. Following his scene-stealing turn in Weapons, Austin Abrams easily shoulders his promotion to leading man here, turning in a performance with far more skill and nuance than the character’s simple setup might suggest.
Abrams spends massive stretches of the film as the only human actor on screen. Cregger repeatedly pushes him into scenarios where Bryan has to nervously narrate his own actions while reacting to escalating madness. Abrams takes the frenetic, twitchy energy from his previous work and grounds it into something deeply sympathetic.
When tentacle monsters erupt from places they shouldn’t, Bryan reacts the way any normal human would: with sheer, unbridled terror. Both Abrams and Cregger delight in the character’s overwhelming panic. While played for laughs most of the time, that overwhelm also forms the backbone of Bryan’s simple character arc. His everyday anxieties give real structure and emotional dimension to the nightmarish encounters he is forced to endure.
Lovecraftian Mutants and Pure Practical Horror
While the human hero keeps the movie grounded, the true stars of Resident Evil are the poor, unfortunate souls infected by the t-Virus. Standard zombies make appearances, but they are as disposable to the viewer as they are to a player clearing room to room in the games. The movie truly shines when Cregger unleashes the creative, nightmarish mutations that have evolved past the basic infected.
By the time the film trots out its second major creature, it’s clear that nothing breathing in Raccoon City can be trusted not to burst open in a thrashing mass of whipping appendages, extra eyes, and oozing flesh. These creatures fit right into Resident Evil’s classic Lovecraftian design aesthetic, and Cregger’s camera lovingly luxuriates in their slithering, practical-effects glory.
Bryan’s journey across town essentially becomes a grand tour of a genetic hellscape. While the structure of “new location, new monster to sidestep” could feel repetitive on paper, the sheer creativity of how these creatures are introduced keeps the audience locked in.
Adapting Gameplay Mechanics into True Horror Language
Where this reboot truly sets itself apart from past adaptations is how it translates classic gameplay mechanics directly into film technique without relying on cheap fan service or references.
Resource management plays a major role in building dread, with scenes focusing heavily on the frantic search for spare ammo and the terror of a time-crunch reload as enemies close the distance. Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski frequently emulates third-person camera angles, lingering just over Bryan’s shoulder to heighten the fear of what might be lurking around the next corner.
Atmospheric lighting also does heavy lifting, using dynamic light sources like car headlights piercing through a snowy night to build claustrophobic dread. Supporting all of this, co-composers Ryan and Hays Holladay deliver a playful yet unsettling score that keeps tension simmering beneath every dark hallway Bryan explores.
Minor Flaws in the Outbreak
While Resident Evil is an absolute blast, it isn’t without a few minor missteps. Because the film moves at such a breakneck pace, the supporting cast receives very little screen time.
Paul Walter Hauser is great in his brief spotlight as an Umbrella Corporation functionary, providing just enough exposition to highlight the company’s corporate greed, but his appearance is over almost as soon as it begins. The rest of Raccoon City’s citizens act largely as temporary road signs that Bryan passes during his sprint.
Furthermore, a small handful of meta-jokes referencing video game tropes ring slightly dated compared to the fresh, organic humor driving the rest of the script. However, as long as you’re enjoying the ride with Abrams in the driver’s seat, these minor hitches won’t derail the experience.
The Final Verdict
With a laser focus on putting its everyman hero through the worst night of his life, Resident Evil is a lean, mean, and insanely fun 95-minute survival horror movie. Zach Cregger proves once again that he knows how to balance creature-feature body horror with genuine tension and dark comedy. Backed by an extraordinarily charming lead performance from Austin Abrams, this is a fresh, fan-first adaptation that respects the heart of the games while blazing its own bloody trail.
Score: 8 / 10
Over to You!
Are you excited to see Zach Cregger’s fresh take on Raccoon City, or are you holding out for a direct adaptation of game favorites like Resident Evil 2? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
