The latest Resident Evil film takes a different route from the earlier movies. Instead of simply rebuilding familiar characters and storylines, director Zach Cregger uses the spirit of the video game to create a tense, unpredictable and often funny survival adventure.
At the centre of the chaos is Bryan, played by Austin Abrams. He is not a polished action hero. He is an ordinary courier who suddenly finds himself trapped in a nightmare involving infected creatures, violence and a rapidly collapsing world.
That choice gives the film much of its personality.
What is the new Resident Evil movie about?
Bryan is working as a courier and decides to accept one final delivery during a snowstorm. The job promises extra money, so he takes the risk despite having the wrong equipment for the difficult conditions.
Things change when he encounters a mysterious woman on the road.
What begins as an ordinary delivery quickly becomes a fight for survival. Bryan is pulled into an outbreak involving the kind of monsters and undead threats that fans of the Resident Evil games will recognise.
The film does not directly adapt one particular game story. Instead, Cregger attempts to recreate the feeling of being dropped into a Resident Evil game without knowing exactly what will happen next.
Austin Abrams gives Bryan an unusual kind of hero
Austin Abrams is arguably the film’s biggest strength.
Bryan is inexperienced, frightened and frequently unsure about what he should do. He does not suddenly become an expert fighter when danger appears. He makes mistakes, panics and sometimes reacts badly.
That makes him surprisingly easy to relate to.
His attempts to help others are often messy, but they feel human. Even when surrounded by terrifying creatures, Bryan retains the frustrations of an ordinary person. His reactions provide some of the film’s funniest moments.
This approach also gives the movie a clever video-game quality. Bryan feels like a player who has just entered a new game and is still trying to understand the controls.
Zach Cregger mixes horror, action and comedy
Zach Cregger, known for Barbarian and Weapons, brings a distinctive style to the reboot.
The movie moves quickly. Horror sequences give way to action, while moments of dark comedy prevent the atmosphere from becoming relentlessly grim.
Cregger also understands the value of a well-timed jump scare. Rather than filling every scene with predictable shocks, the film uses tension and sudden interruptions to keep viewers alert.
The result is closer to a horror rollercoaster than a slow-burn horror drama.
How does it compare with earlier Resident Evil movies?
The new film takes a noticeably different approach from the earlier movie franchise led by Milla Jovovich.
Those films increasingly leaned toward large-scale action. Cregger’s version appears more interested in capturing the unpredictable survival-horror atmosphere associated with the games.
That means monsters become an important part of the experience.
The shift from straightforward zombie action toward a broader collection of creatures gives the reboot a more game-like identity. It also allows the film to surprise viewers who think they already know what a Resident Evil movie should look like.
Where does the Resident Evil reboot fall short?
The film’s biggest weakness appears near the end.
Bryan is given enough time for audiences to become invested in him, but his personal journey does not receive quite the resolution that the setup seems to promise.
The movie raises questions about what the terrifying creatures represent and whether there is any humanity beneath the horror. But it does not explore those ideas deeply.
For viewers looking primarily for thrills, this may not matter much.
For those expecting a stronger emotional conclusion, however, the ending may feel less satisfying than the energetic first part of the movie.
Is Resident Evil worth watching?
For fans of horror, video-game adaptations and fast-moving action, the new Resident Evil offers a distinctive combination of suspense, monsters and humour.
Its greatest advantage is that Bryan does not behave like a conventional action hero. His fear, confusion and mistakes make the danger feel more immediate.
The film also appears to understand an important part of the Resident Evil experience: sometimes the fun comes from not knowing what is waiting around the next corner.
The bottom line
Resident Evil does not try to be a straightforward recreation of an existing game. Instead, Zach Cregger uses the games as a creative framework for a new survival-horror adventure.
Austin Abrams gives the story an accessible human centre, while the director keeps the action moving with horror, comedy and sudden shocks.
The result is an energetic reboot that may work particularly well for viewers who want their horror with a healthy dose of action and dark humour.
The film is scheduled for theatrical release on 18 September 2026.
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