Zach Cregger can seemingly do no wrong when it comes to original horror. Barbarian (2022) was a disturbing subterranean survival thriller with horror touches, while Weapons (2025) was a psychological, mysterious, multi-layered horror tale. That made it especially intriguing to see what Cregger could do with a gaming franchise close to 30 games deep, particularly after seven movies and a TV series that have given fans more than a few misses.
In recent interviews Cregger has stated that he hasn’t seen any of the previous movies, as they seem too action-oriented rather than horror-focused. Thankfully, though, he has definitely played the games. After the first three mainline games established the survival-horror formula, Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil 5 and especially Resident Evil 6 gradually pushed the series further towards action. Then Resident Evil 7 went straight back to full-on horror, which was exactly the refreshing change the games needed. And this, THIS is the refreshing take Resident Evil movies needed.
Our protagonist, Bryan, played by Austin Abrams (Weapons), is a courier tasked with making an urgent delivery to Raccoon City, which, unbeknownst to him, is in the initial stages of a virus outbreak. A perfect premise for a Resident Evil game. And Cregger tackles it with loyalty to the franchise and a straightforwardness that feels both different and familiar compared to his previous works. There’s no layered storytelling or mystery here. Instead, it feels like Cregger jumped straight into the climax of Barbarian. After a quick suspenseful buildup introducing the character and plot, the movie wastes no time putting Bryan into one disturbing scenario after another, filled with unique monstrosities and intense, frantic, gory action.
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Paralleling the games, survival is always the priority. Bryan is constantly looting, managing his inventory and searching the environment for anything that might be useful. I was impressed by how naturally the movie incorporates these mechanics, making them feel like actual survival decisions rather than video game mechanics thrown in for the sake of it. As you’re watching Bryan search for items, figure out how to get through locked areas and make use of whatever he can find, it genuinely feels like you’re playing Resident Evil. And rest assured, there are plenty of other nods to the games for fans to pick up on.
The production design is phenomenal. The set pieces aren’t just faithful to the games, but the cinematography, lighting and presentation really capture how these locations feel in-game. During the more exploratory sections, the camera creatively follows Bryan in a way that mirrors how you’d experience them while playing.
With Abrams carrying the movie as its central character, there’s no overstating how important his performance is to the overall experience. And Abrams pulls it off. I wouldn’t say Bryan is exactly likeable, but there’s something about watching him go through these extreme situations that makes you question how invested you’ve become in whether he survives. Abrams nails the panic and confusion of a normal guy who has absolutely no clue what he’s doing, making it damn fun watching him get thrown from one shitshow into another.
Cregger’s signature dark humour is on full display here, keeping things light and entertaining, with Bryan fumbling through scenarios that characters in the games would normally succeed in with style and grace. As Cregger has said, horror and comedy are often played out the same way, and it’s all about the timing.
That being said, the horror is showcased gloriously. Being a fan of body horror, there are plenty of new ideas here. I would have appreciated less CGI in the body-morphing scenes, but that’s coming from someone who has held films like the classic The Thing (1982) and, more recently, The Substance (2024) to such a high standard for their practical effects.
The pacing is also similar to the games, starting with a totally creepy opening with worthy jump scares, off-screen suspense and effective sound design before turning into an outright bloodbath for your eyeballs to feast on. And without spoiling anything, the final moments were so damn satisfying and glorious that they brought the biggest smile to my face.
As a fan of the games from day one, I am so happy to finally say there is a Resident Evil movie I’m proud of. When Cregger’s Resident Evil needs to carve out its own identity, it absolutely rips. And when it needs to be Resident Evil, it’s as evil as it can get. Somehow, Cregger manages to balance both sides without one taking away from the other. That’s nothing short of amazing.
