Aaron Ploof
Fans of Resident Evil have long yearned for a true adaptation of the video game series. The original entry with Milla Jovovich, directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, was an alright film, but a Resident Evil film in name only. Although it featured the T-Virus and the Umbrella Corporation, it focused on original characters. Later installments added Jill, Chris, Leon, and other Resident Evil mainstays, along with the game series’ main villain, Albert Wesker.
Yet, as much as the series featured these characters, it felt nothing like the series’ original entries, or even later ones. It had no survival-horror elements or puzzle-solving. The more the series went on, the further it devolved into balls-to-the-wall action. Its plot made no sense, even though Resident Evil games are known to feature bombastic storylines. Anderson’s films were written haphazardly, with constant rewrites and plot threads that were frequently dropped.
Then came Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. While the Anderson films weren’t masterpieces, this one made them feel like bona fide works of art. The film attempted to adapt the first two Resident Evil games, with the characters visiting the Spencer Mansion. It even featured characters like Leon and Claire. Yet the acting, writing, and pacing were all drastically lacking.
Good news for Resident Evil fans, as well as all lovers of cinematic horror: Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is a near-perfect translation of the game to film. While it doesn’t feature any of the characters from the series, it effortlessly translates the mechanics and feel of the survival horror video game to the big screen. It accomplishes this while maintaining ever-increasing tension and delivering consistent laughs.
The story features Austin Abrams as Bryan, a courier who is delivering a mysterious package to Raccoon City. He’s talking with his girlfriend while making the trip, and they are discussing a potential pregnancy when his car slams right into a woman walking obliviously on the road. The audience knows that this is a zombie, but Brian has no clue.
From there, the situation evolves in a hilariously thrilling and horrific way. Eventually, Bryan is forced to encounter and deal with the undead. As he survives encounter after encounter, his reactions to these nightmarish situations mirror a video game player’s voiced-out-loud thoughts while playing. His incredulity at his situation, and the fact that he is an everyman trying to survive a hellish night, make him the perfect audience surrogate. The movie also explores Bryan’s fears of becoming a parent, giving him a bit of an arc as he deals with his apprehensions. These themes emerge not only through Bryan’s character, but also through the environments he finds himself in (like a blood-filled maternity ward) and the enemies he faces.
As he makes his way into and through Raccoon City, Bryan faces various obstacles that block his path. A particular standout is the padlock, a recurring Resident Evil feature. Fans will know that specific kinds of keys are usually needed to open these locks. Cregger knows this too. Cregger also knows Brian will need more impressive firepower to fight the infected creatures. Along the way, he’ll upgrade his weapons, count down his ammo, and manage his inventory, just like in a Resident Evil game.
The tension keeps ramping up throughout, but with plenty of comical beats interspersed. In fact, I’d go so far as to call this a horror comedy. Cregger was recently quoted as saying he cut out a lot of jokes so the film would test better with audiences. It’d be hard to imagine what this would have been like with even more. The film’s tone may disappoint fans, but viewers who go in with an open mind should fully enjoy the comedy.
The film’s last act takes a similarly comical route. Characters act like bumbling idiots, and the film leans more heavily than ever into slapstick. It’s an ending that, depending on your tastes, may feel anticlimactic or sudden. It does, however, match the cheesiness of the earlier Resident Evil games and doesn’t feel entirely out of place.
Adding more detail would risk spoiling the film. If you’re even a bit of a fan of Resident Evil, video games, or comedy-horror, you’re bound to appreciate what Zach Cregger has done with the franchise. He’s made it his own, using a beloved universe to tell a simple story that fits the franchise perfectly, and his love for this world is obvious. If you’re comfortable with an original story featuring plenty of laughs, you won’t be disappointed with Cregger’s Resident Evil.
