Title: Resident Evil
Director: Zach Cregger
Writers: Zach Cregger, Shay Hatten
Cinematographer: Dariusz Wolski
Studio: Sony Pictures
Distributer: Columbia Pictures
Rating: R (Strong Bloody Violence, Language Throughout, Gore)
Starring: Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser
Release Date: September 18th, 2026

NOTE: This is a spoiler-free review.

ANALYSIS

Familiarity For Fans

Resident Evil at its core is a movie written by a fan for fans, despite complaints you might hear online preceding the movie’s release. Throughout the movie, we are met with easter eggs (big or small), the classic blocked pathways, locked doors, resilient zombies, map usage, subtle puzzles, one-liners, and exploration. There were lots of moments that reminded me of specific games in the franchise, namely Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3. Once you watch the movie, you’ll find familiarity in most locations that Bryan finds himself stuck in. I’ve always thought that the Resident Evil games as a whole operate on Murphy’s Law which this movie follows well. Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Random scary shit keeps happening, and all you can do is say, “what the fuck,” and keep it pushing or you’re just done for.

Visuals & Sound

Watching this movie felt like witnessing The Thing (1982) meets The Evil Dead (1981) with Cregger’s recognizable style by mashing the two together— complete with elements we all know and love from the Resident Evil video games. It’s a perfect blend: it’s gross, bloody, and uses practical effects throughout.

The camera angles play a huge role in the film. I’d argue this is a Resident Evil video game; you just can’t play it, but Cregger makes sure the audience feels like they are from the camera shots, angles, and limited point of view alone. At the beginning, the camera is following Bryan right behind his shoulder, reminiscent of controlling a character from the third person perspective. We even get multiple first person shots, elevating the atmosphere of high tension scenes.

The element tying this movie together had to be the sound design for me. The music was used to build tension rather than introduce jumpscares. Footsteps and ominous noises added a creepy layer to the already scary visuals. Since the audience is with Bryan for the majority of the movie, the film makes use of a proximity effect, meaning we only hear things that Bryan can hear.

Performance & Writing

Bryan Hodukavich is literally an NPC (and figuratively, story-wise). Like I said before, it feels like the audience is playing as him. We rarely leave his side. The audience is stuck to him. I enjoyed experiencing the story around him and through his own eyes. He’s a regular funny guy thrown into a giant cluster. As an organ courier, he’s sent on a job to Raccoon City to deliver a bag to a hospital. There’s no time wasted in this film. We get right into it, yet the pacing is slow enough that it doesn’t feel rushed. The writing has a good economy where everything is introduced is for good reason. Dramatic irony is used well in the first half, and it added that initial fear for what’s to come down the line. Austin Abrams puts on a stunning performance as Bryan. He’s realistic, funny, and relatable despite his circumstances. He carries all of the elements that a classic Resident Evil character possesses. It’s his own rendition being reluctant bravado. Tens across the board.

FINAL SCORE

If anyone was going to do a Resident Evil movie justice, it was going to be Zach Cregger. His work on Barbarian (2022) and Weapons (2025) was proof enough. We’re introduced to an all-new character separate from the video games, and it gave him so much room to work with in the universe. Freedom is exactly what the IP needed for a live action film, and Cregger understood that from the beginning.

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Feature Image: Sony Pictures (via IMDb)