When Resident Evil was first announced and shown off, much was made of how well it meshed with the game universe. Folks complained about virtually every single thing that could be complained about, ranging from the setting to the characters and the visuals. It resulted in some abysmal online discourse.

Ultimately, though, none of that mattered then, and it doesn’t matter now. What ultimately matters is whether or not Zach Cregger made a good movie, which he’d already done twice now. If that’s the case, he can do whatever he wants with the characters, lore, and setting of the video game series. So, did he?

Resident Evil Movie Review

Zach Cregger is quickly proving himself to be a master of suspense. Resident Evil is dripping with suspense and tension across virtually every moment of the 90-minute runtime. Like Weapons and Barbarian before it (though perhaps not quite as strong), Resident Evil causes physical, anxious reactions for the audience.

At the same time, though, it’s deeply funny. The movie perfectly works the horror-comedy balance. Austin Abrams does a fantastic job portraying both, as this is largely a one-man show. His reactions, both in fear and exasperation/shock, are pitch-perfect. It’s fantastic work from the criminally underrated and underutilized actor.

From the opening scene, the score absolutely fills the movie theater with dread, and it pulses behind everything, pushing the plot forward. It’s intense but never overbearing, showcasing more quality work from Hays Holladay, who also scored Weapons.

The filmmaking is excellent, and it mirrors the experience of playing a Resident Evil game so well (more on that below). There’s plenty of exquisite framing, blocking, and staging done by the camera crew. It’s mostly a dark movie because it takes place outside at night, but it’s lit well, and there’s plenty of good cinematography.

Resident Evil moves at an astounding pace. It’s also pretty short for a modern blockbuster, and I admittedly had reservations coming in that it was all going to go by too quickly. That wasn’t the case, though, as the pacing was so good that it felt just right.

I certainly could’ve stood to watch plenty more, but that’s simply a product of being a good movie. I could’ve watched more of The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Project Hail Mary, and those movies each creep towards three hours.

It’s certainly not perfect. Some of the CGI is stretched way too thin in close-ups of some of the monsters, particularly at the end. The limited budget led to some creativity in the production, but it was really felt in those moments.

It also relies a little too much on humor to cut the tension, which comes at a cost. There’s one major emotional moment that is almost immediately undercut by a joke. The joke works, as most of them do, but it could’ve waited.

Nevertheless, it is expertly directed, acted, and written. From a movie standpoint, it’s great, and certainly one of the best of the year. But, while the early discourse was horrendous, this type of movie isn’t going to be judged exclusively on its merits as a film. It’s also going to be judged by how it relates to the source material.

Video Game Adaptation

As much as the criticism ahead of Resident Evil should absolutely be dismissed, it is fair to ask how it operates as an adaptation of the game series. It’s called the game series name, so there does need to be some reason for that. It can’t simply be a zombie horror movie with a label slapped on, as some fans claimed before it was released.

Fortunately, it’s not that. While some fans remain hung up on the idea that it’s not Resident Evil enough, it absolutely is. There’s no Leon Kennedy, no Albert Wesker, and no storyline from any of the games, but it is the game series through and through.

Zach Cregger uses filmmaking as a tool here to recreate actual gameplay, which is impressive. There are so many things that would literally happen in the game, but the feeling is what shines through. Bryan’s ridiculous odyssey through the woods surrounding Raccoon City feels so much like a player picking up one of the games for the first time.

There’s a hyper-awareness of weapons and ammo, a frustration over the ridiculous blockades/locks that pop up at the worst possible time. And like novice players (or regular, non-Leon people who might be in this situation), Bryan can’t get out of his own way. It’s wildly true to the games in that sense.

Thematically, it fits right in as well. The Resident Evil series, though not heralded as masterworks in video game storytelling, is ultimately about the sins of a greedy corporation and how those companies just don’t care about people. The movie uses that brilliantly.

MAJOR SPOILERS. The ending is going to be a bit divisive, but I believe it plays so well into that theme. Once Bryan gets to Raccoon City General to deliver the key piece of the antidote (another key game element), he needs help from the Umbrella Corporation he just risked his life to help.

They could all not be bothered to help him until it’s literally too late, and then they are so comically inept that it results in the destruction of everyone and the final transformation into a true Resident Evil final boss-esque monster for Bryan. Most of them aren’t even interested in actually helping him, despite his monstrous screams begging to be injected with the antidote.

Throughout the games, it’s evident that Umbrella is only interested in serving its own interests and covering its own tracks. That holds true here, making for a poignant ending that hammers home the point. Midway through the movie, Paul Walter Hauser’s Umbrella employee makes it obvious that Bryan is seen as expendable, and that opinion of him holds with others until it’s too late.

So, on both counts, Resident Evil is a huge success. At this point, it’s fair to say never to doubt Zach Cregger. When an artist wants to make something, it’s obviously best to let them create before criticizing. I’m certain the angriest of fans will not be well-adjusted about this, but the overwhelmingly positive reaction should illustrate that this is a perfect lesson in letting someone cook.

Score: 4.5/5