If you know me, you know I’m a horror head. Films, series, games – I’m all for it. And Resident Evil has a special place in my heart.
I got into the games during lockdown after spotting the remakes on sale, and I’ve since played nearly every mainline entry. Apparently, living through a pandemic wasn’t enough. I needed fictional outbreaks as well.
The previous films have their moments, but they’ve never quite captured what I love about the games. So what made me hopeful about this one? Zach Cregger’s storytelling. The man gave us Weapons, my favourite film of 2025. His direction made me genuinely eager to see how he would handle Resident Evil.
I love Cregger’s choice to follow Bryan, an original character caught up in the outbreak. Played by Weapons actor Austin Abrams, Bryan is a medical courier with no combat training and no idea what he’s walking into. That made it easy to connect with him and root for his survival.
The fumbling with bullets and awkward handling of weapons really worked for me. He doesn’t suddenly become an action hero because someone puts a gun in his hands. He panics, makes mistakes and gradually finds his courage. It reminded me of playing the games: terrified at first, then slowly finding your feet, until something else comes along and ruins your confidence.
My favourite part was the camera work. Switching between standard cinematic shots, third-person perspectives and first-person views made me feel like I was back in the game, especially during the moments reminiscent of Resident Evil 7 and 8. These shifts respected the games’ immersive style, drawing me closer to the danger and heightening the stakes. The jump scares delivered, too. Some genuinely caught me off guard, which isn’t easy when you watch as much horror as I do.
Giving Cregger room to tell a new story was a bold move, and personally, I think it paid off. Exploring an ordinary person’s experience of the outbreak adds another perspective to this world. Some fans will want the familiar characters and storylines, but I appreciated the freedom here.
That said, Bryan did piss me off. There’s one scene where his lack of survival instincts had me thinking, please, just use your head. No spoilers, but the situation felt entirely avoidable. Still, it’s easy to judge from a cinema seat. Panic doesn’t exactly bring out everyone’s best decision-making.
My biggest issue was the final act, which dragged a little. I found myself thinking, ‘hurry up and get to the point’. Following one character so closely eventually became repetitive, and the last stretch needed more variation to keep that earlier tension alive. I could see where things were heading, which took some of the suspense away.
Even so, I left wanting more from this version of Resident Evil. It captured the panic, vulnerability and growing confidence I associate with playing the games. A tighter finish would have helped, but there’s plenty here for this horror head to enjoy.
As much as I appreciated this original story, I’d love to see Cregger tackle one of the games’ established storylines next. There’s enough here to make me hopeful he could do it justice.
Rating: 3.5/5