Resident Evil Movie Review — One Nightmare After Another

The Resident Evil franchise is irreplaceable to me. I grew up playing the RE games, and Resident Evil 4 will always be the greatest game ever made in my book. As someone who devotedly follows the franchise, I naturally watched all the RE live-action films starring Milla Jovovich as well as the CGI movies throughout the years. But I have to admit that none of them managed to capture the classic survival horror vibes the franchise is known for.

Although I’ve pretty much lost hope in Resident Evil live-action adaptations, I’ve always secretly yearned for a proper Resident Evil movie. So when Zach Cregger, the mastermind behind Weapons and Barbarian, took the wheel, he immediately had my attention. After a long wait, I finally got to watch the new RE movie on the big screen today. So, here is my spoiler-free review of Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil movie.

The Worst Nightmare of a Resident Evil NPC

For those unaware, the latest Resident Evil movie isn’t a 1:1 adaptation of any RE game released so far. Instead, it is a survival tale about an ordinary citizen who gets caught in a series of catastrophic events during a zombie outbreak.

Bryan, a medical courier, is handed a vital package that needs to be delivered to a hospital in Raccoon City. What was supposed to be an easy delivery job turns out to be the worst night of his life as a zombie outbreak happens out of nowhere. Now, Bryan has to survive against all odds in a night that won’t end.

As you can see, the new Resident Evil movie features a wafer-thin storyline. But think of it as a random NPC’s survival tale in Resident Evil games that we never got the chance to see unfold before.

Zach Cregger may have steered clear of a faithful adaptation, but it was done to let the audience experience what it’s like to be an NPC in the Resident Evil universe when all hell breaks loose in Raccoon City.

Austin Abrams Runs the Nightmarish Show

Be it roundhouse-kicking Leon Kennedy or boulder-punching Chris Redfield, the majority of the mainline Resident Evil games feature exceptionally skilled protagonists. Grace Ashcroft from Resident Evil: Requiem is the closest we have gotten to a powerless and vulnerable main character, and now Bryan takes that a step further.

Since we primarily follow Bryan’s riveting survival journey, he is the only character we spend the most time with. Austin Abrams knocked it out of the park as Bryan, and his performance is the movie’s main pillar.

Whether he portrays Bryan’s helplessness with a terror-stricken face or cracks a joke amidst the chaos, Austin simply excels in every sequence. His portrayal of Bryan in Resident Evil is easily the best performance in his career so far.

RE Horrors Come Alive

As seen in the Resident Evil trailers, the movie completely nails the atmosphere of the RE video games. Without spoiling anything, Bryan’s journey takes him to places like sewers, hospitals, etc., that are very familiar to RE players. And everything has been successfully recreated in the movie with excellent cinematography.

The use of third-person and first-person shots to replicate the game’s perspective and mechanics works flawlessly and makes the whole experience feel like I’m playing a new Resident Evil game starring Bryan. Moreover, the movie is a complete gore-fest as expected.

In addition to the enemies we know from the game, Zach has put a spin on them and come up with more grotesque variations that are absolutely terrifying on big screens. The makeup and practical effects team deserves equal applause for bringing life to nightmares. Even Capcom can take notes on the grotesque creature designs and use them in future RE games; it is that good!

Verdict: The Best Resident Evil Movie of All Time

When Zach revealed this movie isn’t a direct adaptation of a RE game, a part of the fandom accused him of butchering yet another Resident Evil live-action movie. Now all those people better prepare an apology form for Zach, as the new Resident Evil is undoubtedly one of the best live-action adaptations of all time.

Zach clearly understands what makes the RE games so great and has replicated that formula (with several easter eggs and references) for big screens, and it works like a charm. Whether it’s the recurring stalking boss, the weapon upgrades, or creepy locations, the movie is exceptionally filmed and structured like the RE video games we fell in love with.

In addition, Zach, being a comedian himself, injects plenty of brilliant humor into the movie. As intense and nail-biting as it is throughout, the movie is equally hilarious. It’s all thanks to Zach, who perfectly strikes a balance between terror and comedy. With the game’s DNA written all over it, this is the Resident Evil movie we have been waiting for all along.

Although it has all the strengths of the best Resident Evil games, unfortunately, the movie also retains the weakness of the games: the final act. What should have been a proper conclusion feels a bit messy because of the abrupt ending.

Nevertheless, if you have ever wondered what it would be like to be dropped into the horrifying Resident Evil world, this movie has the answer. Longtime fans will absolutely love Zach’s refreshing take, while even people unfamiliar with the Resident Evil franchise can still enjoy it as a proper horror film.