Before this year, there were seven live-action Resident Evil films. Six starred Milla Jovovich, ranging from fair to middling with very little to do with the video game source material. The seventh, released five years ago, tried to be much more faithful to the games but was borderline unwatchable. Calling Zach Cregger’s new film the best in franchise history might sound like faint praise, but I’m happy to say that it’s genuinely good – even if it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Cregger’s Barbarian or Weapons.
Much like the six-film Resident Evil series launched by Paul W. S. Anderson, Cregger’s Resident Evil isn’t especially interested in adapting the story of Capcom’s games. Its zombies bear little resemblance to those in the games, most of its creatures are wholly original and neither its timeline nor its locations align with the established lore. Where the film shines is in how completely it captures the feeling of playing one of the games, especially the series’ more recent installments. Our hero, Bryan (Austin Abrams), is completely out of his depth as a medical courier taking on a last-minute, increasingly dangerous job. He doesn’t know how to use a gun, struggles to track down resources, and grows hilariously frustrated by the many “puzzles” the night throws at him. The film includes a few nods to the games, including the Raccoon City setting, the villainous Umbrella Corporation, a “safe room” typewriter and the franchise’s iconic green shotgun-shell box. Still, it’s more interested in honoring the spirit of the game series than in retelling its story. This approach has understandably upset some vocal fans, but I enjoyed not knowing what to expect next.
The scares feel genuine, and many of the creatures – particularly a “human tumbleweed” of undead corpses that stalks our hero throughout the film – are incredibly creative and churned my stomach more than once. The film also celebrates its B-movie roots, using just enough humor to break the tension.
The ending, however, is what keeps the film from matching the strength of Cregger’s previous horror outings. Without getting into spoilers, the final moments veer into outright Three Stooges-style slapstick before the film ends abruptly. The shift didn’t land for me, which is a shame given how much I had enjoyed everything leading up to it.
Despite my disappointment with the ending, I had a blast watching Resident Evil. I’m glad to see a game franchise so clearly inspired by monster movies finally receive a recommendable film adaptation of its own.
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