Review – Resident Evil (2026)

As a die-hard Resident Evil fan since the 1996 original, I am often asked, “Are the films worth watching?” I’ve always been unable to give a straightforward answer.

The truth is, I personally like them for strange reasons, but objectively, they aren’t good. The previous live-action installments are so nonsensical that they all fall anywhere between guilty pleasure and pure ironic enjoyment. Meanwhile, Capcom’s CG-animated films, which stay true to the series’ canon, are somewhat inaccessible to anyone who is not already deeply invested in the lore of the games.

After 30 years and 12 feature films, director Zach Cregger has finally made my answer much simpler with his daring reboot.

“Just watch this one.”

 

The (imperiled) life of Bryan

 

Taking place over the course of a single night, the film follows the grueling journey of medical courier Bryan, who has the deceptively simple task of transporting an important package to Raccoon City General Hospital. As soon as Bryan hits the road within the opening ten minutes, the film’s pace fittingly floors the pedal, rarely hitting the brakes over the remaining runtime.

Unfortunately for Bryan, his vehicle doesn’t last long, and he is promptly forced to travel on foot. Worse still, a viral outbreak has turned the local population into a slew of bloodthirsty zombies and mutated monstrosities, which may pose a serious threat to his on-time delivery bonus. Bryan is thrown into a full-throttle gauntlet of dangerous situations, his survival constantly hanging by a thread.

 

 

Bryan is no special agent or expert marksman, either. When the everyman chances upon a gun, he needs a moment to figure out how it works before he can even use it, and he’ll empty a full clip by the time he lands a shot. The movie’s relentless tension never ceases even when he’s only up against a single zombie, as our unlikely hero is usually either scrambling for bullets or running for cover. Just as Bryan regularly struggles to get delivery signatures, he clearly never signed up to be the hero.

 

Dying laughing

 

With the protagonist’s long trek largely being a solo affair, the film relies heavily on Austin Abrams’ performance, and thankfully, the actor consistently proves to be a perfect fit for the role. Bryan is instantly likable as he bumbles his way through each area, relateably growing more exhausted and jaded by how unfair his life has become. When given a rare chance to breathe, he’ll mutter to himself between each of the nightmarish scenarios he is forced to endure, his vocal disbelief that any of it is even real seemingly a coping mechanism for him to push forward.

Occasionally, Bryan is lucky enough to cross paths with other survivors, who have the unlucky habit of perishing before long. The cast’s supporting standout is Paul Walter Hauser’s Umbrella employee character, whose palpable incompetence and transparent cowardice clash entertainingly with Bryan’s snarky demeanor.

Bryan’s apprehensive reactions and defeated mannerisms culminate in the biggest surprise during my viewing of Resident Evil: it’s as funny as it is scary. His constant flailing and high-pitched shrieking mean his dignity drains as fast as his ammunition, and with each dangerous decision he faces, he responds not with bravery, but with fear in his eyes, a quiver in his voice, and a thoroughly dejected utterance. Crucially, the comedy is utilized without ever diminishing the stakes, and it doesn’t channel the quick-witted, self-aware “Marvel dialogue” that audiences are growing increasingly tired of – rather, Abrams’ delivery, comedic timing, and physical performance make it favorably akin to the dark-humoured Evil Dead II.

 

 

Blood, sweat, tears, and tentacles

 

Similarities to Sam Raimi’s work don’t end there, either, as Resident Evil’s gore is sometimes so stylishly excessive that some of its laughs are derived from how over the top it all is. Limbs are torn, bodies are severed, rooftop-jumping zombies quite literally paint the town red, and over-sized, membranous sacs explode with claret as its terrifying offspring emerge. Cregger has talked at length about his use of practical effects, and that commitment is evident in the film’s visceral body horror. He is also responsible for one of the most effective and cleverly directed jump scares I’ve seen in a long time.

The film has great undertones of 1982 classic The Thing, its creatures morphing in twisted ways, equipped with thrashing tentacles, and underscored by an incredible, synthy, Carpenter-esque pulse that keeps the dread simmering. Yet, despite some shared attributes, there’s also a decent amount of variety in the enemy designs, with a rabid tendril-whipping dog, an acid-spewing atrocity, and a bloated subterranean behemoth just some examples of the threats Bryan encounters. His most unsettling adversary is a seemingly unstoppable entity that stalks Bryan throughout the entire film, fusing with every corpse in its path to add to its rolling mass of flesh and myriads of mismatched limbs – its grotesque appearance and ever-growing formidability making it genuinely unsettling.

 

 

There is one zombie design, however, that doesn’t quite land. As a civilian succumbs to infection, the face suddenly splits open to reveal a giant, goofy eyeball and a toothy, screaming mouth, making it look more like something from Men in Black than Resident Evil. Usually, this would be fairly simple to overlook, but it does somewhat undermine a crucial scene that raises the stakes for the rest of the movie.

 

Satisfying the horde

 

It’s hard to blame the frustrated sector of the Resident Evil fandom that just want to see a faithful adaptation of Capcom’s source material, especially when they have mostly been served diluted, tangential fan-fiction for the past two decades. Those people may be disappointed to hear that Cregger’s reboot does not include a surprise cameo from Chris Redfield, or a heroic assist from Jill Valentine. The film’s infectious pathogen is not based on any of the established viruses and parasites seen in the games, and there are no Hunters, Lickers, Chainsaw Men, or Molded. Raccoon City is the setting in name only, coated in snow and dragged away from its foundational ‘90s timeline.

Despite all of that, it somehow feels like the most loyal live-action tribute to the flagship survival-horror series we’ve ever had. Instead of using existing lore elements, Cregger has cleverly managed to cinematically emulate the gameplay experience of Resident Evil. Padlocks stop Bryan from progressing, and ammunition is obtained through his thorough probing of the environment. Sometimes, the camera fluidly shifts to a first-person perspective as Bryan aims his gun, or steadily pans to follow his periphery – like a player using the right thumbstick to cautiously check their surroundings. The aforementioned stalking entity is a direct nod to the game’s relentless pursuers, such as Mr. X, the Nemesis, and Jack Baker. Bryan even records a voice memo when he believes he is about to meet his end, which if transcribed could easily pass for one of the many tragic files of fallen victims that Resident Evil players regularly come across.

 

 

I’m a big fan of the approach, though I still could have used a little more Resident Evil seasoning atop Cregger’s unique take as the few easter eggs that are present feel forced and surface-level. There’s a shop called “Leon S. Kennedy Guns and Ammo,” referencing the popular game character, but it would have made so much more sense to have used the actual Raccoon City-situated Kendo Gun Shop. Despite the Umbrella Corporation having a significant presence in this film, bizarrely, the sinister company’s logo – arguably the most recognizable piece of iconography from the entire series – is absolutely nowhere to be seen. The result is a film that captures the feel of Resident Evil remarkably well, but sometimes struggles to convince you that it actually belongs to the franchise.

 

Cregger does it better

 

It’s become very clichéd to compare exciting films to rollercoasters, but in Resident Evil’s case, there really isn’t a better comparison. When you’re not tensing in anticipation, you’ll likely be grinning at the sheer absurdity of what you’re strapped in for. It’s so much fun that it feels like it’s over way too fast, and you’ll immediately want to rejoin the queue for another round.

The intensity does not let up until the very end, making Resident Evil like a horror version of The Raid or Mad Max: Fury Road – an apt comparison in terms of the film’s high quality, too. Speaking of the end, the finale will likely elicit divisive reactions from viewers, but those who can appreciate a bold vision over something safe and predictable shouldn’t be disappointed.

It’s Cregger’s finest work so far, and without a doubt the greatest video game movie adaptation there is. Best of all, it’s a fine way to cap Resident Evil’s 30th anniversary this year: to finally have a film that I, as a fan, can point to with pride.

 

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