Oct. 26, 2026 by Parker Hinkle (‘27)
Synopsis:
Resident Evil (2026) is a survival horror film, written and directed by Zach Cregger. Loosely based on the video game series with the same name, it follows Bryan (played by Austin Abrams) as a medical courier tasked with delivering an unknown item to Raccoon City General Hospital. Unfortunately for Bryan, what seemed like an easy job with good pay takes many twists and turns as he discovers that something monstrous has infected the people around him, forcing him to survive one of the worst nights in his life.
Review:
Before going into this movie, I was a bit worried for how much I was going to enjoy it. The game franchise that the film is based on has an already long and complex story that I was not familiar with, so viewing this as a complete beginner felt a bit off putting. However, after watching Resident Evil, I must say that I feel very conflicted. There are some parts that I loved, some parts that I could criticize, and some moments that honestly ruined what the film had going for it.
For starters, I was lucky to find out that it was a self-contained story that only pulled references from the games and did not force you to come in with any knowledge as to what happens in the source material.
Resident Evil is also not your run of the mill horror film. While there are moments that feel scary, there is also an underlying comedy throughout the movie. As you watch, you experience the horror and dread that Bryan must face, but you are also able to laugh at the ridiculousness of some of these situations and outcomes. The film does a great job at blending these two genres together in ways that do not feel out of place.
Even though the film adds comedic moments, it does not forget what it was originally trying to be. The horror felt in this film comes in many different forms. The jump scares are placed in a way where they will actually get you and are not overused to the point that they are not scary anymore. The dark setting of a night in winter also adds to these moments and makes you feel as vulnerable as Bryan does.
Austin Abrams does an excellent job when it comes to playing Bryan, and is a big reason why this mostly felt like an enjoyable watch. His portrayal acts as the heart and soul to this film. It is very fleshed out and realistic to how anyone would act if they were put in his place.
The film almost leans into this idea of realism in characters and uses it to mock the traditional clueless and stupid horror protagonist. This would have been my biggest compliment to the movie, if it wasn’t for the ending. The ending of the film honestly made me really irritated, almost to the point where I wanted to walk out of the theater. Without giving too much away, the ending has a set of scientists act extremely out of character. I was very displeased when they leaned into the tropes they were originally making fun of for the sake of having the ending be the way that it was.
The progression of the film can also be a bit tedious at times. Most specifically in the beginning, as it feels like there is a problem relating to a monster that Bryan must figure out, and when that is over, it just repeats the process and Bryan must solve another issue that a monster is causing him.
Overall, Resident Evil is an interesting movie that has many highs that are eventually dulled or ruined during the end of the film. It is one I would recommend if you are a fan of horror and want something that diverges from the tropes in that genre. I rate Resident Evil (2026) a 3.5/5 stars.