Resident Evil is intense, creepy, and strangely hilarious
Fantastic Fest 2026 kicked off this week with their opening night film, Zach Cregger's Resident Evil. Cregger has been building a name for himself in the horror genre the last couple of years. His 2022 film Barbarian could be considered a modern cult classic and last year's Weapons garnering praise from critics and audiences alike, as well as snagging an Academy Award has gotten Cregger on horror fans' radars. It's no wonder audiences have been anticipating Cregger's take on the hit horror game franchise Resident Evil, especially considering how most of the previous film adaptations of the game franchise have been met with mixed reactions.
The film stars Austin Abrams, who worked with Zach Cregger previously on Weapons. Instead of playing a darkly comical drug addict, Abrams takes center stage as a medical courier thrusted into the hellish nightmare. The film also stars Kali Reis (Mercy), Zach Cherry (Fallout, Severance) and Paul Walter Hauser (I, Tonya, Fantastic Four: First Steps).
Abrams is the heart and soul of the film. His character is one we want to see win. His awkward bumbling mannerisms and line deliveries liken him to an early Bruce Campbell (pre-disarming by deadite of course). His performance feels real. He's an avatar for the audience. He comes across as some poor soul taken from his nine to five job and thrust in the depths of hell, and he feels and acts like most probably would if they were in the world of Resident Evil, a world where if you aren't a gun-toting badass with the plot armor of a protagonist in a game franchise with multiple entries, all you have are your wits and whatever resources you come across. And in Abrams' case in this film, both of those are in short supply.
Those who have seen Cregger's previous works knows he's no stranger to blending horror and comedy. However, I couldn't help but feel that his adaptation of Resident Evil was a little heavy handed in the comedy aspect. Don't get me wrong. There's still plenty of tense and genuinely scary moments throughout the film, but after the first few comedic one liners, they started taking the wind out of the films sails rather than elevating otherwise great sequences. A film like Weapons felt like a horror film with brief moments of levity, whereas Resident Evil sometimes toes the line of being more of a dark comedy. That being said, when Cregger wants to get creepy, he goes above and beyond. After the first few minutes of the film a good chunk of the first act feel ripped right out of a horror game; the desolate settings, the uncertainty of what could be looming just up the stairs or across the yard, Zach Cregger's ability to build tensity is undeniable.
Resident Evil is also impressive on a technical scale. It's a visual feast filled with brilliantly lit shots casted with shadows that invoke a specific sense of fear and some eye-catching cinematography. It's also chalk full of monsters with designs that feel akin to John Carpenter's The Thing.
The film is also full of elaborate and inventive set pieces that set the stage for pulse pounding action. Seeing Austin Abrams traverse the different landscapes across the outskirts of Raccoon City made this movie truly feel like it could be a Resident Evil game. That's what I feel is an important distinction to make when watching this movie. If you're looking for a retread of the video games, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a film that, for the most part, encapsulates the dread most feel when playing a Resident Evil game, then you might scratch that itch with this one.
Overall, Zach Cregger's Resident Evil is an exciting, tense, and morbidly funny time. Cregger's signature twisted humor is dialed up to 11, and Austin Abrams is the perfect conduit for the madness. See it with an audience. You'll laugh as much as you'll scream.
Resident Evil is now playing in theaters.
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