‘Resident Evil’ (2026) Review: Zach Cregger Finally Gets It Right

Film Synopsis: A medical courier finds himself in a desperate fight for survival against bloodthirsty, mutated creatures.

Zach Cregger has quickly become one of the most recognizable names in modern horror. His feature debut, Barbarian, shocked audiences upon its release and helped establish his sophomore film, Weapons, as one of the most anticipated horror movies of 2025. Now, his version of Resident Evil has arrived and it’s a bloody, wildly entertaining, and surprisingly hilarious ride that might just be the best film adaptation this franchise has seen yet. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a massive gamer when it comes to Resident Evil, so my perspective is coming purely from a film standpoint. But as someone who loves a good horror movie, I walked away thoroughly impressed with what Cregger has delivered here.

One of the film’s greatest strengths is its ability to balance horror and humor without sacrificing either. A lot of that comes down to Austin Abrams’ performance (more on that in a moment). There might be five jokes in a row, with the music blaring, before everything suddenly goes silent and the tension takes over. There are a few genuinely effective jump scares here, too. Admittedly, it doesn’t take much for me to jump in a film, but I was not the only one jumping in this screening, that’s for dang sure. Cregger understands that a movie can be terrifying one moment and completely ridiculous the next, and he embraces that contrast. The result is a film that knows exactly what kind of experience it wants to deliver. It’s bloody, chaotic, and frequently hilarious, but never feels like it’s making fun of the material itself. 

Now, onto Austin Abrams. He is fantastic as Brian, a character you can’t help but root for. As one of the only characters we follow with dialogue for much of the runtime, the film needs a performer who can keep audiences entertained, and Abrams steps up to the plate and does just that. Upon meeting him, his sense of humor immediately makes him likable, but there’s more going on beneath the surface. Back home, he and his girlfriend are facing a difficult decision about whether to continue her pregnancy, and Brian certainly doesn’t seem ready to embrace fatherhood. That personal conflict gives his journey an added layer, allowing us to see some growth as the nightmare unfolds. Abrams brings quite an infectious energy to the increasingly absurd and horrifying situations, making it particularly entertaining to watch Brian navigate a nightmare that seems determined to get progressively worse. Even when the film goes completely off the rails, Abrams keeps you invested. A lot of that comes down to his natural reactions, too. Whether it’s his commentary or the looks on his face, you can’t help but relate to him as increasingly unbelievable things unfold right in front of him. At least I certainly could. 

And then there’s Cregger himself, who continues to demonstrate just how impressive he is behind the camera. What I appreciate most about his filmmaking is his willingness to take risks. He knows how to build tension, when to let a moment breathe, and when to unleash absolute chaos. His direction gives the film a distinct personality, allowing it to stand on its own rather than feeling like another attempt to capitalize on a recognizable horror franchise. I was also a big fan of the point-of-view (POV) shots, which genuinely made me feel like I was playing a video game. It’s a nice touch for a video game adaptation and adds another layer of immersion to the experience.

Perhaps what surprised me most was just how much fun I had with it. The infected creatures and bio-organic weapons are absolutely insane from the get-go, and things only get crazier from there. There’s an infectious energy running throughout the film that makes it difficult not to get caught up in the madness. Whether it’s the outrageous violence, unexpected humor, or unpredictability of what comes next, Resident Evil consistently finds ways to keep you entertained.

Of course, longtime fans of the games may have an entirely different perspective on how successfully this adaptation captures the franchise. But from some fellow critics who are big fans of the games, I’ve heard this is the closest to the games we have gotten so far. Which is just shocking considering there was a franchise spawning around seven films. However, I can’t speak to that side of the conversation, and I won’t pretend to. But judged strictly as a horror film, I think Cregger has delivered something that works remarkably well.

At the end of the day, Resident Evil is exactly the kind of theatrical experience I love: a filmmaker with a distinct vision, a great lead performance, and enough blood, laughs, and mayhem to make the whole thing an absolute blast. Absolutely worth a trip to the theater if you need something fun!

RATING:

4/5

Disclaimer: All images used in this review are © of Sony Pictures and are included for review, commentary, and editorial purposes only.

Resident Evil arrives only in theaters this Friday, September 18.