“Resident Evil” Is a (Mostly) Fun and Frightening Ride

Resident Evil (Zach Cregger, 2026) 3 out of 5 stars

After a string of mediocre film adaptations over the last two decades, fans of the Resident Evil video games have gotten used to disappointment. But now, co-writer/director Zach Cregger (Weapons) offers a different approach. He embraces the series’ nightmarish visuals for a thrilling but slightly abrupt experience.

Instead of focusing on established characters from the franchise, we follow original character Bryan (Austin Abrams, Chemical Hearts), a hapless medical courier tasked with delivering a top-priority package to Raccoon City General Hospital. However, he quickly finds himself in a hellish fight for survival against a rapidly spreading viral infection.

Visually, Resident Evil nails the atmosphere of the games. So much of the series is built around anticipation and not knowing what’s down a hallway or around a corner. Cregger manages to stretch that feeling into a feature film, captured almost in real time. He even has his camera operator hover behind Bryan’s shoulder to recreate the games’ signature third-person perspective. It’s those minute details that show how much Cregger understands the material.

As Bryan makes his way closer to the hospital, he encounters numerous infected people with skin-crawling designs. Instead of the traditional shambling zombies seen in the games, Cregger’s infected are gooier and tentacled like something out of John Carpenter’s The Thing. It helps give the film its own identity, though it would have been nice to see franchise mainstays like the lickers.

Despite this, the film’s biggest strength and drawback is Bryan himself. Austin Abrams completely convinces you that he’s a glorified Postmates delivery guy thrust into the end of the world. Unlike most Resident Evilprotagonists, Bryan has no experience with firearms or combat, so he constantly drops ammo and misses shots. This leads to plenty of great gags, but he routinely makes boneheaded decisions that will have you screaming at your screen.

In addition, the third act builds to a very unexpected conclusion. Without spoiling anything, its abruptness would be appropriate for a standalone horror film but is quite different for a Resident Evil story. Your mileage may vary in how it gels with the rest of the film, but it is definitely memorable.

As a whole, Cregger has crafted a fun and frightening take on Resident Evil. It avoids the pitfall of obvious Easter eggs and prioritizes getting the tone right. Abrams is endearing as Bryan, even if he’s written as an idiot. I only wish the film managed to land its conclusion, but aside from that, it’s a welcome addition to the franchise.

George W. Campbell

George W. Campbell is a director/screenwriter/editor from Bowie, Maryland, whose films focus on themes of family and personal relationships. As a Nicaraguan-American filmmaker, he aims to highlight specific parts of his culture and personal experiences (songs, dances, foods, and language).