The upcoming Resident Evil movie reboot from Zach Cregger is out later this week, and the first impressions have started trickling over the web, and it’s fair to say they’ve been pretty positive.
In case you haven’t been keeping up with the movie series, Resident Evil is the first new film based on Capcom’s zombie franchise since 2021’s Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, and tells an original story that take place parallel to the events of Resident Evil 2. However, Cregger’s movie is set in an alternate universe of sorts, as the action transpires in modern day and not 1998, following hospital courier Bryan as he gets caught up in the T-Virus outbreak while delivering a package to Raccoon City General Hospital.
Perri Nemiroff from Collider paints a positive picture for Resident Evil, describing it as “one of the best video game adaptations I’ve ever seen,” while praising its comedic chops as “one of the best horror comedies I’ve ever seen.” Meanwhile, Fandango’s Erik Davis says Resident Evil is “less an adaptation of a game and more a movie that makes you feel like you’re playing one.”
“Zach Cregger is cookin’ with napalm,” comments Courtney Howard of Variety. “It’s a wild, hilarious, unpredictably bonkers thrill ride from start to finish. Kinetic action leans heavily on demented body horror. Mutant mayhem galore! Austin Abrams is perfect as our doofy, hapless hero.” Finally, critic Mark Cassidy offered, “#ResidentEvil may not feature recognizable characters/storylines, but by tapping into the relentless tension of the games, Zach Cregger has actually delivered the most faithful take yet.”
The Resident Evil movie series began life in 2002 with Paul W.S. Anderson’s self-titled effort starring Milla Jovovich. The film spawned a successful franchise that saw multiple sequels: Resident Evil Apocalypse (2004), Resident Evil Extinction (2007), Resident Evil Afterlife (2010), Resident Evil Retribution (2012), and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016).
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City was helmed by Johannes Roberts and served as a reboot of the series, combining the stories of Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2 in a single night. However, plans for a follow-up were shelved in favour of yet another reboot with Cregger leading the charge.
[Source – GamesRadar]