RESIDENT EVIL (2026) REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

9/21/26

95 minutes

‍ ‍One year after Zach Cregger blessed us with the surprise smash and Oscar winning Weapons, he now moves on to tackle what is arguably the biggest horror franchise in video game history. Resident Evil (or better known as Biohazard in Japan) was first introduced to the world on the PlayStation, PC, and Sega Saturn in 1996. A game so beloved, critically acclaimed, and profitable that it would spawn a never-ending series of sequels, spin-offs, and yes, even movies. I myself am most familiar with the first game, having been gifted it for Christmas back in 1998 for the PlayStation and spent countless hours playing it. Eventually, I suffered through all 6 of the movies that were helmed by Paul W.S. Anderson starting in 2002. Although I found the movies to be rather awful and got worse with every sequel, I can at least say that the first 2, Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Apocalypse, are at least dumb fun and watchable.

After 6 movies and 1 full playthrough of the first video game, I think I have at the very least an average amount of knowledge when it comes to Resident Evil. For those unfamiliar, Resident Evil is a survival horror video game franchise. The Basic Premise: a powerful pharmaceutical company known as The Umbrella Corporation creates viruses that cause humans and animals to mutate. When these experimental viruses escape their facility, all hell breaks loose as expected in the primary setting of Raccoon City. The outbreak of the T-Virus causes humans to become zombies, dogs become aggressive while decaying, monsters are formed, and government officials get worse at coming up with excuses. The character you play has one main objective. Survive. 30 years after it is first introduced and 24 years after its first movie, we now have what I guess we can call a reboot or revisioning. What are my overall thoughts?

The movie solely centers around Bryan (played by Austin Abrams). He is a courier who transports organs in a time sensitive manner. On this particular evening, he is assigned to deliver a mysterious package to the Raccoon General Hospital in Raccoon City. Despite the harsh snowy weather, he makes every effort to get there as quickly as possible. Bryan does not know the contents in this green cooler he is instructed to transport but knows that its importance is a matter of life or death. On his way to the hospital, he hits a woman with his vehicle by complete accident on a desolate, snowy stretch of road. We notice that there are many things wrong with this woman. She is acting strangely, and it’s not just because she got plowed by a vehicle. In a panic, Bryan loads her into his vehicle and proceeds to the hospital. At this point, everything that could possibly go wrong, goes wrong.

I find myself to be in a tough situation because as much as I want to continue talking about the movie, I also really don’t want to spoil it. Resident Evil runs 95 minutes long and my description only covers about 10 minutes of the actual movie. But I do promise you, there is action, excitement, gore, monsters, intense moments, and a lot of humor. Resident Evil continuously throws everything at you in its limited runtime for a guaranteed tightly paced thrill ride. Scenarios are incessantly built one scene after another with an ever so crowd-pleasing payoff. There is no complex storyline or plot that we have to follow. This movie’s goal is to entertain and thrill, and it absolutely accomplishes that.

I want to talk about Austin Abrams here because it’s impressive how well he carries this movie. The humor and charm he brings to the role of Bryan can best be described by me as Chaplinesque. There is a uniqueness in the way he is able to build up an intense moment, only for it to fail in hilarious fashion. It’s so easy to fall in love with the way he nails the comedic timing. His character wins you over quite quickly despite having very little character development. I had first seen Abrams act in a small role in Tragedy Girls back in 2017. A title I recommend by the way. It’s amazing to see how far he has come since then. Many will recognize him in a standout performance as the homeless drug addict in Zach Cregger’s Weapons from last year. He is front and center here and I have a feeling it won’t be for the last time.

‍ ‍One place I could see this new Resident Evil dividing opinions is its faithfulness to the video games. This is a completely different approach than what we saw in the Paul W.S. Anderson movies. There are no surprise characters from the games that show up or moments that will make nerds clap like the seals at the St. Louis Zoo. You might clap and cheer but not in the same fashion some were back in 2002. The entire movie plays out like Kevin Smith’s Clerks (1994), showing one man’s worst day of his life, but with a deranged horror element to it. This is its own original story and characters set in the Resident Evil universe. Those who were hoping for an easter egg hunt or paid to see exactly what they already played in the video games will probably be disappointed. No homework required in this story as well, thank goodness.

OVERALL

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is incredibly creepy, smart, and atmospheric. The score and settings are extravagant. The creatures and monsters are at a level that echo those from John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982). Austin Abrams as I mentioned is extremely likeable and relatable with his character. I love how he is the center focus from beginning to end and plays out exactly like he would a playable character in the video games. I was impressed enough with Abrams’ performance in Weapons, but Resident Evil has definitely solidified him as a major player and a leading star talent. Video Games that get turned into movies have a reputation for being duds right out of the gate. After giving this some thought, this might be the best video game adaptation we have gotten to date. It’s fast, efficient, and entertaining as hell. If that’s what you’re looking for, then you’re getting your money’s worth.

Rating:

**** out of 5