Product Info

Studio

Sony Pictures

Director

Zach Cregger

Genre

Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

Rated

R

Theatrical Release Date (NA)

Sep 18, 2026

Film Length

1hr 30min

Purchase From

Home » Resident Evil (Review)

Resident Evil is a suspenseful horror film that takes the franchise in a surprisingly grounded direction as you follow a medical courier on his dangerous journey through an infected Raccoon City, where unpredictable and dark moments occur, with some comical moments to break the intensity. For a video game movie, this is a good one

Special Delivery

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Directed by Zach Cregger (Weapons, Barbarian), Resident Evil brings suspense, horror, survival, and dark comedy in this evenly paced one and a half-hour film. If you’re aware of Zach’s work in his previous films, you can expect this film to bring unpredictable moments to keep the audience glued to the screen from beginning to end.

The latest Resident Evil breaks away from the past Hollywood films and into a new style. The film focuses on one person, a medical courier named Bryan Hodukavich, played by Austin Abrams (Weapons, Euphoria). Austin does an impressive job showcasing his emotions from frustration, alertness, and sadness. I’d expect to see his actor appear in more upcoming films. He’s the focal point with his “special delivery” to Raccoon City, where the city is infested with a disease that escaped and mutated from Umbrella Corporation, a pharmaceutical company.

You’ll encounter other characters, but they will only serve as side characters, ensuring that Bryan remains the main focal point of the entire operation. Bryan’s journey to learn survival skills on the go makes watching him an intriguing character, as he tries to move swiftly (though at times he takes his time when being chased down) between each point until he reaches his destined goal. Watching every encounter and how he handles the situation makes it entertaining.

The film carries a variety of comical moments to break the tension. There are a few dark comedy moments, but it doesn’t feel like it takes away the film’s objective of surviving. Watching Bryan travel from the outskirts of Raccoon City to the deeper areas of the city maintains a consistent pace, making every part essential to watch and difficult to leave your seat for a bathroom break. The amount of time Bryan spends between the outskirts and city feels mostly a fair amount, although the beginning could benefit from being a little tighter on time.

The ending left me liking and not liking it. It’ll certainly draw a line for fans to debate if they enjoyed it or not but this shouldn’t come at a surprise when you have Zach directing this film.

Mutated in a 1,000 Ways

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This horror film feels more grounded, avoiding the Hollywood-style approach that heavily relies on CGI, sensory overload, and over-the-top scenes. Yes, there is some CGI involved to give the grotesque monsters and infected humans that resemble zombies, but it doesn’t feel overloaded. The film features a diverse array of mutated creatures, each uniquely designed to resemble various Resident Evil video games in different ways.

With creative lighting and cinematography, it gives off that indie filmmaking feel but with a big video game brand attached to it. The creative shots are fantastic, especially at the beginning, to catch your attention. For example, you’ll see an automobile from a distance on the far left of the screen, sitting in the middle of the night during snowfall, and then it begins to drive forward as the car is engulfed in the dark. It is a creative shot you don’t see in bigger-budget films very often. The car’s brake lights, shining across the snow marked by a body that has been thrown, create a suspenseful atmosphere in the scene. You’ll come across flickering lights later in the movie, which is typical to find in suspense films such as this.

The movie uses a first-person perspective to show Bryan moving with the shotgun, creating a similar effect to how first-person views are presented in video games. There are also a few Easter eggs for Resident Evil game fans to spot, such as the typewriter. It’s the little and creative things that make this film enjoyable to watch whether you are familiar or not with the popular video game franchise.

The subtle scores and sudden bursts of noise that create jump scares make watching the incidents around the main character enjoyable. It doesn’t deliver any vocal or licensed music, and for a film like Zach’s style, it doesn’t need it.

The Final Mutation

Resident Evil takes a more grounded approach and focuses on a survival horror that feels fresh, along with some comical moments along the way, to make a special delivery to Raccoon City. It’s a journey worth watching whether you are familiar with the popular series or not.

An early screening for Resident Evil was provided for this review. Resident Evil launches in theaters on September 18, 2026. Fans can visit the film’s official website for more information.