I walked into the theater on Saturday night completely blind. I hadn’t watched a trailer for Resident Evil, I had no desire to see Resident Evil, and generally I assumed the film was going to be a flop. Having seen the Milla Jovovich series go consistently downhill throughout my teenage years, my hopes were on the floor. I was wrong. Zach Cregger created a near-perfect videogame adaptation. Resident Evil not only does the games justice but also earns its own place creatively by being unique.
From the posters and general vibe of Cregger’s recent work (Barbarian, Weapons), I was expecting a spooky as hell horror film that would leave me unsettled and on the edge of my seat. Yes, that was true, but by the end of the first ten minutes, I was also laughing out loud in between screaming “What the f*** just happened”. There are jokes intermixed with tentacle-laden body horror and creepy AF cinematography. Cregger walks a tightrope between a film that is genuinely funny and terrifying. It reminds me of the balance Widow’s Bay struck, if a little gorier and faster paced.
Austin Abrams (playing Bryan) leads the film with sharp comedic timing and a relatable character. He’s the organ delivery equivalent of a Postmates driver who just so happens to find himself in the middle of a snowstorm/elder-god-esque zombie outbreak. You know, normal people shit? His actions, while often dumb, also felt like a realistic path someone might take in a similarly messed up situation. Moments of humor like him trying to figure out where the safety is on a service pistol also add to the horror by putting him consistently at risk of bodily harm.
Resident Evil pays homage to the videogames without being beholden to them. As the film progresses, Bryan upgrades weapons, is stopped by unbreakable padlocks, and even skirts along a thin ledge like we’ve seen in every Unreal game for the past 10 years. The action is split into three distinct areas that each feel like they’re pulling from a different entry in the game series, and feature escalating threats. It’s amazing how much ground the movie covers given the tight 1hr34m runtime.
Cregger’s pacing is perfect, keeping the tension alive and not letting the story outstay its welcome. There are few opportunities for exposition as Bryan is mostly alone or with the infected (not great conversation partners). Even so, his human core is exposed in moments of him leaving voicemails or talking to himself. None of it feels forced. It’s the exact right amount of backstory needed for this brand of action-horror.
Resident Evil surprised me with its humor, delivered on the expected horror, and should make videogame fans proud. For my money, this is one of the best videogame adaptations ever made and I will happily see it again. If you have time, it’s certainly worth going to the theaters to see this one with a crowd. Hearing other people react to the insane set pieces and laughing uncomfortably in between was a delight.
Cregger has cemented himself as a great horror director and reminded us that he knows comedy too.
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