Creepy, atmospheric, and surprisingly funny, Resident Evil (2026) is a horror experience that knows exactly when to scare you and when to let you have fun.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

There’s something special about a horror movie that knows exactly what experiences it wants to deliver. Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil (2026) understands that it’s an explosive horror experience from start to finish. The movie creates a creepy, unsettling world that always feels like something could be waiting just around the corner. The darkness, environments, and overall visual style do a great job of building tension. Even during the quieter moments, there is a feeling that danger is never too far away.  Resident Evil films have bored and disappointed audiences since the first adaptation in 2002.  This may not be a faithful adaptation of a classic “Resident Evil” storyline, but it’s a faithful adaptation of what it feels like to play a classic “Resident Evil” game.

The new “Resident Evil” stars Austin Abrams, that scene-stealer from “Weapons”, as a medical courier named Bryan. He’s just delivered the last vital organ of the evening when he’s told to make one last run, transporting an important package to Raccoon City. It’s the end of his shift, and he knows he should get back home to his girlfriend, who literally just told him she’s pregnant. But he takes it anyway and drives off into the mountains without snow chains and crashes right into a zombie. Bryan doesn’t know she’s a zombie, and he tries to do the right thing, and it backfires hilariously and horrifically, and soon he’s stranded on the outskirts of town, in the freezing cold, determined to deliver the package and apologise to his girlfriend if he ever gets cell phone reception again.

In many ways, Resident Evil is Cregger’s most straightforward horror film to date, fully locked in on Bryan’s attempt to deliver his package and survive the night. The resulting ride is pure adrenaline, showcasing the director’s real talent for crafting jump scares and building tension. It is a survival horror movie and, like survival horror games, it relies on the constant threat of impending demise, coupled with an uncontrollable need to press forward, have resource management and expertly timed jump scares. Here, Bryan is completely out of his element, where he keeps finding guns but doesn’t know how to use them and tries to solve difficult situations. Bryan is a truly normal guy whose creativity and determination to do single acts of kindness and honest work make him a compelling and likeable hero. Abrams anchors the film through his dynamic and vulnerable performance.  

What I enjoyed a lot was the balance between horror and comedy. The movie can be creepy and disturbing one minute and funny the next without taking away from the horror. Instead, it gives it some personality and helps keep the experience entertaining. That’s why this movie works so well for me because it understands that a Resident Evil movie can be frightening, strange, intense and funny all at the same time. It doesn’t have to choose between being a serious horror movie and having fun with the craziness of its world.

It’s great to see this franchise finally get taken seriously on the big screen, and this is going to be a huge hit throughout the upcoming Halloween season. Playing in theatres now.