REVIEW: Zach Cregger's 'Resident Evil' Is a Pure, Unstoppable Ride
Resident Evil is the latest film directed by Zach Cregger and the newest adaptation of the popular video game series. Cregger certainly didn’t have an easy task ahead of him. This is a franchise that has been trying to make its mark outside the world of video games for many years, and its previous attempts haven’t always managed to capture what made Capcom’s series so popular and beloved around the world. This time, the filmmaker behind Barbarian and Weapons, decided to approach the story from a completely different angle. Instead of adapting a specific story from the games, he creates an original story set within the world of Resident Evil, while blending comedy with survival horror. The result is a film that above all wants to deliver an intense, brutal, and at times absurdly funny thrill ride.
The movie throws us straight into the middle of the action. Bryan (Austin Abrams) is not your typical action hero. He’s just an ordinary guy who finds himself in a situation far beyond his capabilities. And that is arguably the film’s biggest strength. Bryan isn’t an indestructible hero, a former soldier, or some kind of god who can effortlessly deal with every threat thrown his way. He makes mistakes, improvises, panics, and often has no idea what to do, while his reactions to many situations feel far more human than those of typical action protagonists. Abrams clearly has a lot of fun with the character and understands him perfectly, allowing even the most absurd and terrifying moments to land with the right dose of humor. It also makes it easy for the audience to become genuinely invested in his fight for survival and his journey to reach Raccoon City.
The pacing and runtime are another major strength. The film runs for just over 90 minutes and never feels like it is being stretched out unnecessarily. The story is constantly moving, leaving very little room to catch your breath, while each new development takes Bryan to places where he probably shouldn’t be. Fans may feel as if they are actually playing a game. The locations change, the equipment evolves, the threats become bigger, and any sense of safety disappears. Because of this, the film does a great job of capturing the experience of playing a survival horror game without ever pretending to be a direct adaptation of any particular installment in the series.
Resident Evil also strikes a great balance between horror and comedy. The humor never destroys the tension; instead, it often makes the situation feel even more uncomfortable. Bryan reacts to situations in ways that most of us probably would, and his frustration and helplessness can be just as funny as they are terrifying. Cregger never tries to turn the movie into a full-blown comedy, though. The humor is used when it fits. And when a scene needs to breathe and build atmosphere, there are no jokes to get in the way.
Cregger also never forgets what Resident Evil really is. At its core, it is a horror franchise, and the film is packed with zombies, blood, brutality, infections, and plenty of disturbing imagery. It builds tension through uncertainty and the feeling that something even worse could be waiting around every corner. Some moments can genuinely scare you, while the jump scares are used effectively without becoming excessive.
Fans of the series will also find plenty of elements familiar from the games, showing that Cregger clearly understands what makes the franchise work.
Zach Cregger isn’t trying to make a movie that simply recreates something we have already experienced in game form. Instead of copying previous adaptations or sticking too closely to one particular game, he creates his own version of this world. It’s brutal, intense, occasionally disgusting, but also genuinely funny. Austin Abrams fits the role of the protagonist perfectly, and his reactions to the chaos become the emotional center of the entire story.
The film proves that video game adaptations don’t always have to follow stories that have already been told, nor do they need to bring a game to the big screen scene by scene. Sometimes, all you need to do is capture its character and the way it builds tension. Cregger manages to do exactly that. And for that, he deserves a lot of credit.
Special thanks to United International Pictures for the invitation to the special screening of Resident Evil
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