Resident Evil Movie Earns 96% on Rotten Tomatoes; Critics Praise Cregger’s Game-Aware Adaptation

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot launches September 18 to widespread critical acclaim, with reviewers highlighting how the film captures the spirit of Capcom’s games without slavish devotion to their details.

Strong Critical Reception

The film currently holds a 96 on Rotten Tomatoes. David Ehrlich for IndieWire called it “I.P. cinema with vision and verve… This is how movies and video games can merge in a way that makes them stronger for sharing their DNA rather than disfiguring them both.” Jesse Hassenger for The Guardian noted that “Resident Evil has a streamlined single-mindedness, and as it barrels through its gamified plot, the tension and entertainment value never flag.”

William Bibbiani observed that the film succeeds because it’s “a faithful adaptation of what it feels like to play a classic Resident Evil game”—capturing how the series “starts out terrifying, gradually becomes ridiculous, and totally gets away with that tonal shift.”

Plot and Cast

Austin Abrams (Euphoria, Wolfs) stars as Bryan, a medical courier who encounters a zombie outbreak while making a delivery to Raccoon City General Hospital. Critics consistently praised Abrams’ performance; Liz Shannon Miller noted he “owns it entirely,” carrying nearly every minute on screen while making Bryan sympathetic despite his flaws.

Cregger’s direction draws particular attention for translating game mechanics visually. David Ehrlich highlighted how the film creates “an invisible mini-map for the audience,” deriving scares “from the process of getting from one place to another” rather than discrete combat sequences—using padlocks and environmental puzzles as genuine threats.

Mixed Notes on Tone and Scope

Not all reviewers were fully satisfied. Jacob Oller found the film loses momentum in its second act, with “extended riffing, unearned emotion” and effects that devolve from “sinewy, Thing-adjacent organic messes” into “unwieldy blobs of pixels.” Matthew Orozco objected to how comedic moments “often take you out of the moment,” and Harry Stainer criticized the film for becoming “a little too meta for its own good” as it progresses.

Jesse Hassenger suggested the ending leaves Bryan’s character arc incomplete, though he conceded that “bringing a video game sensibility to the big screen while keeping any gamer cheesiness on the margins is journey enough.”

Development Notes

Cregger revealed the theatrical cut underwent comedy adjustments; the director removed jokes after test audiences found the original “too funny,” stating he likes the final version more and doesn’t miss any trimmed material.