Resident Evil (2026)

There have been a lot of movie franchises over the years. Some have been good and some have been bad but either way, I still enjoy some of them. However, if I’m being totally honest, the Resident Evil franchise is one that I’m not all too familiar with. I’ve never played the video games and I had never seen any of the films. That was until recently, when I watched Zach Cregger’s version. I wasn’t sure how to feel at first when I heard about this movie coming out but as someone who liked Weapons, I had high hopes for this. And man oh man, this oversensitive critic could not have been more impressed with the results. I was entertained from the very beginning and I don’t think I actually got a chance to breathe until the credits finally rolled. It was fun, it had some good jump scares, and it was a lot more humorous than I thought it would be before seeing it. I know there’s people who complain about there being a lot of funny scenes but that’s part of what made it enjoyable for me and I wouldn’t change that at all. I have more to say about this insane reboot, so let’s head on down to Raccoon City and witness the bio-organic wonders that this world has to offer.

     The film follows a medical courier (Austin Abrams) who, after being tasked with delivering a package, finds himself caught in a fight against ruthless mutated creatures in order to survive. Like I said, I never played the video games before, but I did learn a little bit about how they worked before I saw this film and if you know anything about the games, then I’m sure there will be moments from this film that seem familiar to you. At least more familiar to an actual fan than a critic whose limited interests don’t include the games. There were so many things to enjoy about this flick, one of them being Abrams’ performance as Bryan. I liked how he wasn’t some typical badass character who’s a crack shot with a gun. He’s just a normal civilian who brings relatability to the audience when he’s dragged into all of this, because it feels like something a normal person would deal with when they’re dealing with all the chaos that comes their way. This character was also funny and he could get scared easily, bringing a sense of realism and humor when he encounters the bloodthirsty monsters on his journey. Now that’s not something easy to accomplish, especially since this guy pretty much carried the whole film on his back. Another thing to like about this film is it has a short running time of only 1hr 34min. Personally, I don’t give a damn about the length of a film as long as it has enough to keep me entertained, but not only did this film have all of that, it had everything it needed to keep the story going and not let up until the last second of the film. For that, I have to congratulate Zach Cregger on a job well done and for satisfying a critic who has the open-mindedness of a stick.

     This was a very pleasing experience for me. I can see why some people may not like it but it’s still worth checking out in the theater and makes for a pretty awesome fast-paced popcorn flick. Sure, I may not have understood some Easter eggs since this was my first time with this franchise, but it really doesn’t matter to me. Overall, I would have to give this movie a 9 out of 10. So, if you’re a fan of the Resident Evil franchise or if you’re just looking for the next fun watch, then go ahead and check this film out in the theater when you can. A ridiculous, gory, and gratifying action-survival-horror story that lives up to its source material and then some.