Resident Evil, the ninth theatrical feature in Sony’s long-running video game franchise, has received overwhelmingly positive reviews following its world premiere at Fantastic Fest on September 17, ahead of its wide theatrical release on September 18. Written and directed by Zach Cregger, following his success with Weapons, the film stars Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Paul Walter Hauser, Kali Reis and Johnno Wilson. At the time of writing, the film holds a 96% Tomatometer score from 74 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film moves away from the established characters and mythology of the previous live-action Resident Evil movies, instead telling an original story within the franchise’s world. It follows Bryan, played by Abrams, a medical courier who is tasked with delivering a mysterious package to a remote hospital in Raccoon City during a snowstorm. What begins as a routine overnight drive turns into a fight for survival as he becomes caught up in an Umbrella Corporation outbreak. He is joined along the way by Maxine, played by Kali Reis, and a manic corporate operative named Paul, played by Paul Walter Hauser.
The critical response has been particularly strong when it comes to Cregger’s approach to the material. Several critics have described the film as the strongest Resident Evil adaptation to date, while others have placed it among the more successful video game adaptations. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman called the film “different, and much better” than the previous Resident Evil movies, while The Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck praised Cregger for rejuvenating the series.
IndieWire’s David Ehrlich highlighted the film’s ability to capture the experience of actually playing Resident Evil, while The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey noted that it is closer to the survival-horror mechanics of the games than the earlier Milla Jovovich-led films. The emphasis, across these responses, is less on reproducing a specific game storyline and more on translating the games’ atmosphere, structure and sense of discovery to the screen.
That approach is closely tied to Cregger’s decision to create an original protagonist rather than build the film around one of the franchise’s established characters. Bryan is an ordinary medical courier with no obvious connection to the world he is about to enter, allowing the audience to discover Raccoon City and its horrors alongside him. Polygon described the film as a darker and more intimate story, while Deadline’s Pete Hammond praised Cregger for avoiding what he saw as the franchise’s familiar approach.
Austin Abrams’ performance as Bryan is one of the most consistently praised elements of the film. The Hollywood Reporter described it as close to a one-man show, while Variety noted the contrast between Abrams’ previous role in Weapons and his work here. The Guardian compared his charm to that of Bruce Campbell, and MovieWeb described the performance as a star-making turn. IndieWire, meanwhile, praised Abrams as a relatable everyman struggling to process the increasingly bizarre situation around him.
The balance between horror and comedy is another major part of the critical conversation. Cregger brings the sketch-comedy instincts visible in Barbarian and combines them with gore, jump scares and creature-driven horror. The Guardian noted that his comic background remains visible, while TheWrap praised the film for embracing the strange tonal contrast that has long been part of the Resident Evil games.
That tonal balance does not work equally well for everyone. Next Best Picture argued that some of the humour undercuts the horror rather than complementing it, while Daily Dead similarly found that Cregger’s comic instincts occasionally reduce the impact of otherwise intense sequences.
The technical craft has also received significant attention. Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski’s work was praised for putting the audience firmly within Bryan’s perspective and, in places, echoing the third-person visual language of the games. The Hollywood Reporter highlighted the film’s elaborate gore and set pieces, while IGN pointed to Wolski’s camera work as a way of heightening the tension around what might appear around the next corner.
Creature and makeup effects are another major part of the film’s reception. Critics have singled out the grotesque monster designs and practical effects, with IndieWire describing the creatures as among the film’s most memorable elements. Daily Dead also highlighted Shane Mahan’s effects team and its large-scale monster puppets.
The film’s final stretch is where the most significant criticism has emerged. Empire argued that the film loses some of its footing after Bryan becomes fully immersed in Raccoon City, with the second act leaning more heavily into horror-comedy. Decoding Everything found that the story struggles to find a satisfying resolution, while The Guardian felt that Bryan’s character arc is left incomplete near the end.
Other reviews have made similar observations. Rotten Tomatoes’ first-review roundup notes criticism of the conclusion from several outlets, including comments that the ending feels abrupt or that the final battle becomes too goofy. At the same time, those reservations exist alongside substantial praise for the film’s entertainment value, horror sequences and approach to adapting the games.
Taken together, the reviews position Resident Evil as a significant departure from the franchise’s previous theatrical adaptations, with particular praise for Cregger’s decision to prioritise the experience and mechanics of survival horror over simply reproducing familiar characters and storylines. The strongest reviews place it among the better video game adaptations, while the recurring reservations concern its tonal shifts and final act.
Watch Trailer:
Film Details : Resident Evil
Director: Zach Cregger
Writers: Zach Cregger, Shay Hatten
Based on: Resident Evil by Capcom
Cast: Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser, Johnno Wilson
Genre: Horror / Action
Rating: R
Runtime: 94 minutes
Cinematography: Dariusz Wolski
Editor: Joe Murphy
Music: Hays Holladay, Ryan Holladay
Production Companies: Columbia Pictures, Constantin Film, Davis Films, Vertigo Entertainment, PlayStation Productions
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Festival: Fantastic Fest 2026
Release Date: September 18, 2026
Read More Review Roundups on POF
