Resident Evil

RESIDENT EVIL (2026)

As someone who LOVED Zach Cregger’s first independently directed film, Barbarian (2022), HATED his second movie, Weapons (2025), and has absolutely ZERO connection to the Resident Evil franchise, I went into this movie with no idea what the hell to expect.  But when the credits rolled, I had to sit back, catch my breath, and just soak in how f*cking awesome this movie was. 

Zach Cregger uses every second of Resident Evil’s 90-minute runtime to throw you headfirst into a blitzing, bat-shit-crazy, blood-splattering bonanza!

This is easily one of the most fun theatre experiences of the year.

By the end of the movie, I wasn’t just ready for a sequel—I needed to know everything and anything about the world of Resident Evil. I was genuinely tempted to spoil the lore behind Raccoon City for myself (I didn’t), but that’s the sign of a job well done when you leave the audience craving for more of the world you’ve presented them with.

Even though I’ve never played the video game, this movie genuinely feels like being dropped into a first-person shooter. The cutscene-esque dialogue, transitions, and constant forward momentum make every new sequence feel like you’ve just reached the next level. It reminded me a lot of the best parts of the Japanese horror film Exit 8 (2025).

They absolutely nail the gameplay energy because of the invasive way Cregger captures many of the zombie moments, making the impact of everything happening on screen hit that much harder. Side note: I’m taking the over on you getting jump-scared at least twice during this movie.

What makes this entirety of this work so well is how completely locked-in Cregger’s vision is. There isn’t an overwhelming amount of depth to the story, but honestly? It doesn’t need it. The movie knows exactly what it wants you to feel, and Cregger is constantly throwing you into situations where you’re experiencing the chaos alongside the characters rather than simply watching it happen to them.

Surprisingly, the humour is just as good as the constant tension, and that’s all because of Austin Abrams completely owning this role. He plays the quintessential “I’m making incredibly dumb decisions, but I have a heart of gold” character to perfection. It’s one of those performances that makes you wonder, Why haven’t we seen more of this guy? Abrams was great in Netflix’s Christmas series Dash & Lily (2020), but that’s the last time I remember really taking notice of him in a role. After this, it’s safe to say we will be seeing a lot more of Abrams in the future, and hopefully that includes a sequel. 

The one thing I've become well aware of is that the 2000s Resident Evil movie franchise (and video games) has a lot of fans, and unfortunately, I can't speak on how authentic this is to the source material because I’ve never watched the movies or played the games, but maybe that’s exactly why this worked so well for me.

I came into this with absolutely no baggage, no expectations, and no attachment to the lore, and I had a wickedly fun time.

So if you’re going in expecting some massive, lore-heavy Resident Evil mythology dump, maybe temper those expectations. But if you’re looking for 90 minutes of absolute chaos? Just sit back, relax, turn your brain off, and enjoy a survival delivery from hell.

Enjoy!

7.8/10 🍿 🎥

Runtime: 1hr37mins

Where: Now Playing In Theatres

The Richmond Reviewer Resident Evil Review - September 18th, 2026.