RESIDENT EVIL Review

"I'm in, like, a messed-up situation right now..."

Over this past weekend, I finally got caught up on Zach Cregger's latest horror adaptation of the video game IP known as Resident Evil. Truth be told, I've never played any of the video games before nor have I watched any of the films. I don't have any intentions on doing the latter, especially when I don't want to support a filmmaker that allowed a stunt gone wrong where someone lost an arm.

As for this film, I came in with an open mind. Not only am I usually not a fan of video game adaptations, as the creators either do a beat-by-beat recreation of the game or they make them have a tediously, drawn out story that isn't fun to watch. There's also the fact that while I appreciate Zach Cregger's visual style, I found his underground following, Barbarian, to be just middle-of-the road for me; there's aspects of the film I admire and even like elements of the film, but on the whole, it didn't work for me. On the other hand, Weapons was a film that I surprisingly enjoyed, with its patient storytelling and terrific performances; one of which managed to score an Academy Award for Amy Madigan in Best Supporting Actress. With Resident Evil, I was actually shocked that I really enjoyed the film for its visual style and brisk pacing.

The film's premise revolves around a medical courier, Bryan (Austin Abrams), who decides to take a last-minute package to Raccoon General Hospital in Raccoon City, Colorado. Because of this, he has to drive through the snowy mountains and ends up in an argument with his girlfriend, Michelle (voiced by Sara Paxton), on the phone about her unexpected pregnancy. Being distracted by the conversation, Bryan swerves into a woman, who's found in the snow catatonic and filled with injuries all across her body. What turns from a freaky car accident ends up being an unbelievably crazy night for the courier. If he's to make it on time with the package, Bryan will have to do whatever it takes to survive the infected.

What made this video game adaptation work for me was that instead of Zach Cregger recreating a pre-existing story and re-work it into a movie, he decided to take on an original idea in the vein of something similar to Running Scared. Both of which deal with flawed main protagonists, who'll have to survive the whole night to accomplish their goals. That concept within a 95-minute film works wonders for me, as we're able to cut down on the padding or repetition we'd typically see in a "move from point A to point B" film.

In fact, I'd argue the set pieces themselves stand out not just how tension is established, but even by its visual look. Every once in a while, we see point-of-view camera shots that are similar to playing a video game. However, this is done more as putting the audience in Bryan's footsteps, rather than showing off how similar it is to the game. I'll even say the scenarios themselves have a great way of creating escalation, without feeling too over-the-top with it.

I also want to praise Austin Abrams, as there's this average joe quality you buy from him. Despite the film revolving mostly around him, he's able to provide some necessary humor to balance out the harsher, violent moments. I even liked his reactions whenever things go his way and don't go his way, such as trying to fire his gun off on a padlock that won't open and he gets frustrated each time.

Another aspect of the film I want to praise is the look of the film by Academy Award-nominated cinematographer, Dariusz Wolski. I say this as not only did the colors pop and I can see what was going on during the night scenes, but there were a lot of creative camera movements that made us feel like we were in Bryan's shoes. And what shocked me the most was that this might be the first time I've been impressed by Dariusz' work since the Pirates of the Caribbean films.

Even the score by Ryan and Hays Holladay works beautifully with the tone Zach is going for. Not only does the music stand out in a creepy, eerie way, but it isn't used in an overbearing way like other horror films would do. I appreciated that they didn't use stingers just for a cheap jump scare; it felt intentional with how the film creates suspense. One scene in particularly I want to bring up that uses the score perfectly is when Bryan is held up in an abandoned house and he sees the infected woman running towards the house. So, Bryan has to find the bullets and load his shotgun up in a quick fashion. Without spoiling the result, all I will say is that it ends on a satisfying conclusion that makes you ask the movie to catch your breath.

If I did have any complaints with the film, it's that at times there's a few moments where either Bryan or characters he interacts with do something stupid. I understand that within a situation one's thinking might go out the window, but there's a couple of moments where I kept thinking, "Why didn't you use the ladder for this moment?" Granted, some of these decisions are paid off with a funny jab from either Bryan or other characters he comes across.

Regardless, Resident Evil is an entertaining and fun horror film. It works as a video game horror adaptation, while also being an enjoyable, popcorn flick. I'm honestly surprised this worked as well as it did, as I've been waiting for a good movie that's based on a video game.

Prior to this, I'd say the 2006 film, Silent Hill, was the closest a film based on a video game I enjoyed. While it was a mixed bag as whole, the atmosphere and style went a long way for me to appreciate it. But this one takes the cake as the first genuinely good film based on a game. If nothing else, I'm looking forward to seeing Zach Cregger's next film, as he's slowly winning me over with this and Weapons. As for Resident Evil, I'd definitely recommend watching this with a crowd, especially around the spooky season.

🍿 SCORE = 74/100