A hapless medical courier has the night from hell when he’s tasked with a delivery to a city filled with monsters and zombies in Zach Cregger’s frightening and funny Resident Evil. The b-movie blast of a video game adaptation opens in wide release and at Fantastic Fest this weekend.
TW: Animal and children injury and death.
Color me impressed. In his third film of recent years (we all want to forget Miss March, including Cregger), Zach Cregger adapts the Resident Evil game franchise. Cregger crafts an absolutely insane, breathlessly paced, tense, scary, gory, wonderfully shot, action-packed, and incredibly funny crowd-pleasing movie. I packed a lot in that sentence, but Cregger packs a lot into the film. All of that in a mere 87 minutes of straight-up entertaining B-movie greatness before the credits roll. Wow. The story of a hapless medical courier, Bryan, trying to survive his delivery in a secluded mountain city besieged by monsters and zombies has a wild energy.
Cregger isn’t the first to adapt Capcom’s multimedia franchise, expanding from the 1996 video game and its countless sequels and spin-offs. Me, I fell off around Resident Evil 5, but I greatly enjoyed what I’ve played. My favorite back in the day was Resident Evil 2, which was adapted almost alright by Johannes Roberts in 2021 as Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. Before that, Paul WS Anderson crapped out a series of seven increasingly awful action flicks, and there have been several animated films and the Netflix series. Honestly, I haven’t liked any of them, although moments come close. But I loved this. And for Resident Evil neophytes or casual viewers, no outside knowledge is needed.
Zach Cregger, who previously gave us the similarly twisted and unconventional Barbarian and the Oscar-winning Weapons, brings real confidence to Resident Evil and its storytelling. Previous adaptations have all failed to translate the bigger story, getting bogged down in lore, the Redfield and Wesker conspiracy, everything Umbrella is up to, and far-reaching tendrils of plotting. We don’t need that. Instead, Cregger and co-writer Shay Hatten, of the later John Wick films, focus on adapting what it feelsl ike to play a Resident Evil game (at least the early ones, the ones I played). Our schlub of a character works his way through a situation bigger than him, finding what he needs, or not finding it (oops), never quite ahead of the horror happening around him. So don’t expect exposition and lore dumps: you get two for 30 seconds, and no continued character from the games.
With that, Resident Evil translates game mechanics, maps, and how a Resident Evil game (again, of my era; how it is now I don’t know) flows without feeling forced or shoved into this new form. Other RE adaptors tried to get the story points; Cregger instead focuses on the geography of Raccoon City and its environs: the turning alleys, the blocked tunnels with mini-adventures to cover level transitions, and more that move the video game world into the film world without losing fidelity on either end. Little touches of game items, key designations, and more flow into the film easily, adding fun easter eggs.
At the center is Austin Abrams as Bryan. Last year, he made a splash as the drugged-out James in Weapons, and he centers the film as a likable idiot. Abrams brings an everyman schumck energy to Bryan. He’s a nice guy, eager to help out, but he’s also a bit of an idiot. We feel for him and his predicament, not only surviving the worst night of his life but also struggling with the news that his girlfriend, played in voice by Sara Paxton, is pregnant. He’s schlubby and dumb in the right ways. He’s not a smart man, but he’s kind and often inventive, and he avoids the super-capable action trope as he makes as many dumb mistakes as smart ones. But relatable dumb choices, based on the pressing situation and the knowledge he has. Loved that. He’s the film’s hero only because the camera is following him instead of some other random dude; no Leon Kennedy or Chris with skills like Jill’s master of unlocking. Just a guy. It’s fun to cheer and groan with him as he reacts to the insanity around him. His performance and audience-surrogacy drive the humor. Resident Evil is a surprisingly hilarious film. Maybe not so surprising with Cregger’s background in comedy with The Whitest Kids U Know, but much funnier than his previous films (this one can include Miss March). Cregger said he cut comedy after a test screening. I can’t imagine how funny that version is, for this was hilarious from start to finish. Earned big, belly laughs. (While we’re talking actors, Paul Walter Hauser and Zach Cherry are other recognizable faces, doing great work with their smaller bits.)
Thus, in keeping solely on Bryan and his terror, Cregger’s Resident Evil is a tight beast of a film. As Bryan continues, he never gets much time to breathe as he ends up in one terrible situation after another, each embiggening, building to delirious, over-the-top, crowd-shocking-and-pleasing ends. It’s unrelenting, from a single zombie to massive monstrosities; the creature design is astounding and continually surprising. True, it’s not quite the same monsters from this end of the games, but these tendril-heavy, body-melting creatures are awesome to see move and act. This may be Resident Evil, but there’s more than a smidge of Evil Dead vibes running through with the chaotic energy, humor (for those ignoring Ash Vs and wanted Burn to be funny – here ya go), monsters (for the later end of the franchise), and a mean streak.
On top of it, holy hell this is gorgeous. Kudos to cinematographer Dariusz Wolski for excellent use of darkness, punctuated with moments of light, whether it be the fires, headlights, or a phone light. A darker color palette has depth, with occasional giallo red-and-blue lighting or the orange fires of the burning town that contrast beautifully with the continued whiteness of the snow. The cinematography creates a stark feeling that gives it weight. That look makes Resident Evil legitimately scary at times while being continually tense. The shot choices are used for maximum effect (and often replicating camera use in the early games), playing with the audience. A few jump scares landed, and every one is earned and real. There’s no time for diversion or a random cat for a funny jump.
Resident Evil is a tight and effective film, and one of the year’s best surprises. Those who have seen Weapons and Barbarian know Cregger can give greatness, but to make the flagging Resident Evil film franchise (one might think something about zombie IPs à la Camp Miasma?) into one of the year’s most wonderfully thrilling and exhilarating pictures? Wow. Again, I’m highly impressed. Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is tight, tense, scary, and funny. Let it infect you!
Resident Evil is the opening film at Fantastic Fest, running in Austin, Texas, from September 17th through 24th, and in wide release this weekend.