Walking into the dimly lit theater with my overpriced candies in hand, the entire audience was buzzing with excitement. Laughs were shared and horrified looks exchanged as the previews flashed on the screen. Then, as the main lights slowly faded and the movie began, I knew I was in for a treat.
“Resident Evil” is a popular video game series that was first released on the original Playstation in 1996, leaving thousands of players terrified as they narrowly escaped zombies and solved nail-biting puzzles on their glowing televisions. I have many fond memories of the series. My sister and I have played every single game up until the newest addition, “Resident Evil Requiem.”
With every successful video game, there have been people seeking to adapt the story for the movie scene, and that was certainly the case for this series. The 2002 “Resident Evil” film was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, starring actress Milla Jovovich from “The Fifth Element,” was followed by a whopping five more movies. As the films continued to pump out, the quality of them continued to fall and consistently rank below six stars on IMDb and 30% on Rotten Tomatoes.
With this bitter taste in my mouth, I was worried that the 2026 “Resident Evil” would have the same cheesiness as Anderson’s interpretations. Of course, I still have a soft spot for the original movies, with their unapologetic B-movie charm and over-the-top action sequences. But after many years waiting for a more faithful adaptation of the source material, director Zach Cregger knocked it out of the park.
The opening scene showcases a bustling hospital, with protagonist and medical courier Bryan (Austin Abrams) being tasked with a high-stakes medical delivery to Raccoon City.
Just based on these initial moments before any of the action begins, I knew that Cregger had done his homework. The “Resident Evil” games may be horror, but they most definitely have their fair share of humorous moments. Even in the face of death and terror beyond comprehension, the main character will spit out some sort of quippy statement before jumping into combat. These same feelings are perfectly translated into Bryan’s character; he’s a nervous, broke guy with an oddball job doing his best.
As Bryan makes his way to Raccoon City with the important package fastened in the back seat, he runs into his first problem (literally). Driving through a brutal snowstorm, Bryan hits a woman crossing into the road. Full of swears and regrets, Bryan stumbles through the snow to find her convulsing on the ground. And of course, as any normal person would, he picks up the twitching woman and puts her into his passenger seat.
Starting from this point on, the theatergoers became verbal and were unafraid to share their evaluations of Bryan’s stupidity aloud. “What is he doing? How could he be so oblivious? Oh my, he really is going to die,” were many of the comments that floated from seat to seat as the movie continued.
Bryan continues to drive and complete his delivery, but the woman is definitely acting strange. And in the end, she turns out to be a zombie and much of the horror in the story begins to bloom.
One of my favorite aspects of the film was the sheer amount of practical effects to achieve the terrifying imagery. In interviews surrounding the film’s release, Cregger describes a scene in which Abrams was nearly crushed by a 150 pound blood bag dropped by a crane. Many behind the scenes clips have been released, showcasing the acrobatics the stunt performers had to perform to achieve the horrifying final cut.
The special effects also worked so well because there were countless moments in the theater where we all screamed at a jumpscare or let out a collective “gross!” as some of the more gruesome scenes appeared.
Everyone was equally enthralled by the movie, and it made for an experience on par with actually playing the game in the comfort of your own home.
Leaving the theater made me appreciate the fresh interpretation of the “Resident Evil” series. 2026 has been full of blockbuster films and all-star casts, but this movie was truly a gem that deserves all of the success it has garnered.
Hailey Snyder