'Resident Evil' (2026) Review: A Gory and Hilarious Blast of Video Game Horror
By Jack Ransom -September 17 , 2026
The eagerly anticipated film adaptation reboot of the iconic video game series. Resident Evil follows a hapless courier (Austin Abrams) tasked with delivering a package to a remote hospital. He soon finds himself caught in the middle of an outbreak and must fight through hordes of mutated creatures to survive.
Hahaha! Yes! I was really looking forward to this, given how much my love for the games has grown since I really got hooked in the veins with the T-Virus thanks to 2017’s Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Coupled with the fact that current horror golden boy Zach Cregger (Barbarian & Weapons) was at the helm, meant this was a recipe for not only a banger horror film, but *finally* a genuinely great Resident Evil flick… which, as you can see on our Retro Review series of the franchise, there has not been before.
Of course, there was still some skepticism surrounding Cregger’s approach to the franchise (the mere notion of no Leon, Claire or Chris was enough to send some fans into fits of rage that would’ve alerted the R.P.D. - but then, look how well that turned out with 2021’s Welcome to Raccoon City). Instead we follow Bryan, a chattery, bumbling, scruffy courier who we find desperately fumbling a huge personal and relationship life change, whilst agreeing to make a double cash paying run into a fiery Raccoon City.
Queue 90 minutes of pure unadulterated thrills, kills, laughs and shocks as Cregger takes on a wild goose chase with Bryan as he experiences the worst night of his life. I know for a fact that some viewers may find the sheer amount of goofy physical comedy on display quite jarring at first, however I think it perfectly encapsulates that giddy blend of pissing-about in a video-game whilst also having your clear objective of what to do. My audience and I were howling at Bryan’s utter pandemonium, panic and irritation at his situation: dropping bullets, wasting ammo (the car runaround is hysterical), his consistent unluckiness with padlocks and not thinking ahead (the ladder scene). It nails the desperation, clumsiness and pressure that one faces whilst holding the controller.
The film looks damn good as well (gutted about the lack of IMAX showings). Cregger’s infatuation with longer shots, first person POV shots, slow zooms and dynamically unnerving twitchy camera movements reanimates the film to life. Every location on Bryan’s journey feels distinct: from the endless snow that encases the first act farmhouse and forest, of which both feel like they are almost being swallowed by an ocean of darkness - the way the flashing police lights reflect off the surroundings as well adds an eerie ambience. The grimy golden-brown, post-apocalyptic hue that layers over the city contrasts the glossy, corporate sheen of the Raccoon City hospital interior.
There are a couple of utterly ruthless jump-scares that sent me (and the audience) lurching out of the seat. Gore-hounds needn’t worry about this being Cregger’s first 15 rated flick (both Barbarian & Weapons earned an 18) as the blood and guts are still on full display here. The creature designs are fresh, with no outright game to film copy over, it means that there is always a sense of unpredictability to what lurks around each corner. There are head-splattering shotgun blasts, grotesque multi-limbed horrors, slimy tentacles, acid vomit, suicidal kamikaze infected, nauseating rats, virus infected kids all on the menu here, and I won’t spoil anything about the final sequence (as the marketing has totally avoided it), but Sam Raimi fans will pick up on its influence no doubt. Lastly, that final shot before the end credits and title drop? Pure cinema.
Austin Abrams is an absolute riot here and essentially is a one man show with him only passing by and briefly interacting with other characters. His foul-mouthed ramblings, twitchy yet good natured demeanour and hysterical screams of panic all feel genuine to the role. Also, hats off to his comedic timing and slapstick as he is bloody funny. He, Paul Walter Hauser’s & Kali Reis’ brief interaction brings the chuckles and Zach Cherry’s lighter deadpan tones bring the laughs in the final act.
Resident Evil is without question the best video game adaptation we have had so far. It’s surprisingly hilarious, gory and splattery as hell, shot so damn well with a visual palette and production design that adores the source material but doesn’t directly copy it. The scenario of one dude having the worst night of his life trying to deliver this package is a perfect vehicle for a cavalcade of horrors. What a blast!
'Resident Evil' releases in cinemas on September 18, 2026. Want more Resident Evil reviews? Check out our retro reviews of the whole franchise.
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Jack Ransom
Senior Writer
Jack loves to talk films: whether it is reviewing them, ranking them, reacting to them or collecting physical media!
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