Weapons was in my top 10 films of 2025 and I thought Amy Madigan’s chilling performance was the best overall acting of the year. That film has now made me locked in for anything that writer/director Zach Cregger does going forward. I was surprised that his next project, a reboot adaptation of the Resident Evil video game franchise, came so quickly after his Oscar-winning horror hit. As a casual player of the games during my youth and passive participant in the Milla Jovovich-starring Resident Evil movies, I don’t have any skin in the game regarding source material fidelity. I just knew Cregger would offer something original. Something fresh. Something wildly entertaining. And that’s exactly what he delivered.
The film’s biggest strength can be found in its propulsive momentum and containment. The runtime is a brisk 90 minutes and the story unfolds in real-time, centered on the perspective of the protagonist, Bryan (Austin Abrams) trying to desperately navigate the chaotic zombie apocalypse. Abram’s performance is fantastic. He has a relatable, witty charm and is thoroughly convincing in conveying his “what the fuck is going on?!?!” demeanor. In other zombie films, characters sometimes have a controlled confidence that doesn’t feel realistic. How Abrams acts and reacts to the events that unfold feel exactly like how I would behave being there: constantly confused and terrified! On the flip/downside, I found Paul Walter Hauser’s brief performance to be a weakness. I know he’s had a recent surge in appearances across film and TV the past 5 years, but I find his acting to be unconvincing, distracting, and even annoying. I don’t know why he continues to be in everything. I don’t get it!
The hyper-focused narrative execution not only exhibits the quality of playing the game, including some very nice direct first person POV shots, but also consumes the audience from beginning to end. You don’t have any time to breathe. No time to decompress. You are right there with Bryan and every blood-soaked adversity he has to overcome. In totality the film feels like it’s 45 minutes long, in a very good way. Which should be welcome news for those who are fatigued by 3+ hour films.
The other foundational glue that makes Resident Evil work is Cregger’s pitch perfect humor and elevated cinematic aesthetic. It’s well-documented at this point, but if you didn’t know, Cregger’s initial Hollywood era was writing/starring in the cult sketch comedy show, The Whitest Kids You Know. Barbarian and Weapons were peppered with sharp humor, but Cregger ratchets up the laughs 10x in this zombie hellscape. I legit LOL’d at least a half dozen times. And then in an interesting juxtaposition to the uniquely funny-horrifying tone, aesthetically, the film’s cinematography and shot direction are simply gorgeous. There’s an elevated gloss to the snowy nighttime setting. Every shot feels intentional and innovative within this well-established genre. It’s like an arthouse horror blockbuster.
As far as adaptation fidelity to the Resident Evil lore and legacy, I cannot confidently comment. But as a cinematic experience in an IMAX theater, I could feel the entire audience was all in on the rollercoaster ride. My sides hurt from laughing. My jaw dropped from the uniquely executed, bonkers gore. Some truly disgusting stuff. In the end, Zach Cregger breathe’s wonderfully fresh new life into both the video game and zombie genre, with a brisk thrill ride that should thoroughly satisfy any horror fan with blood lust.
