Resident Evil – Film Review
by Fran Winston

Directed by: Zach Cregger
Starring:  Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser
In cinemas September 18

I like computer games. I also like movies. What I don’t usually care much for are big-screen adaptations of computer games.

Historically, they have enjoyed varying levels of success, and it is always difficult to translate the tangential storytelling of a game into a straightforward movie narrative. However, Hollywood loves a profit and, as long as a movie makes money, it will churn out sequel after sequel. Such was the case with the original six Resident Evil films starring Milla Jovovich, which were widely derided by critics while making a mountain of money at the box office.

This is the eighth movie in the lucrative franchise and the second reboot of the series. It is also far more fun than it has any right to be.

Helmed by Weapons director Zach Cregger, who co-wrote it with Shay Hatten, it parallels the second game in the series. A surprisingly adorkable Austin Abrams, who also starred in Cregger’s Oscar-winning previous offering, plays Bryan, a put-upon medical courier simply trying to deliver a life-saving package to a hospital.

Instead, he finds himself set upon by infected monsters following a viral outbreak, and the mild-mannered delivery boy must fight his way through the chaos to complete the job.

It is a pretty straightforward premise that allows Cregger to really explore the world of the game. Alongside the feral residents of the city, Bryan encounters all sorts of obstacles, from locked gates to missing walkways, which he must navigate.

While these scenarios will be familiar to anyone who plays computer games, they are also perfectly plausible in a post-apocalyptic big-screen outing and therefore don’t feel shoehorned in simply to please gamers.

Abrams proves an excellent choice for the everyman lead. While many directors might have selected an action-hero type to front this movie, it is far more engaging to watch a fish out of water gradually step up to the task.

He is also incredibly relatable and creates a three-dimensional character you actually care about, rather than simply giving us a carbon copy of a computer-game avatar.

He is ably supported by some impressive stars in cameo and supporting roles, including Severance’s Zach Cherry and award-winning Black Bird star Paul Walter Hauser. These aren’t usually the kind of names you would expect to see in a movie like this, and it is a testament to Cregger’s reputation that he managed to land them.

Although the posters and trailers suggest this is a horror movie, it contains a huge amount of humour and far more laugh-out-loud moments than some recent supposed comedies. (I’m looking at you, One Night Only!) That provides a welcome antidote to the more gruesome body-horror scenes.

Cregger also manages to build a believable world that should satisfy those who love the game without appearing too outlandish to those who have never played it. Given the movie’s origins, he could easily have gone overboard pandering to fans, but instead he uses some excellent cinematography and occasional nods to the game to keep players happy.

Survival horror is hardly a new concept and the genre can sometimes feel rather jaded, but Cregger and his team have managed to reinvigorate it. That is not something I ever thought I would write about a video-game adaptation.

This is a roller-coaster ride that will make you laugh and gasp in equal measure, while delivering enough jump scares to satisfy hardcore horror fans. It does begin to run out of steam as it hurtles towards the end, but a satisfying conclusion means that is something I can forgive.

This is thoroughly entertaining and deserves to find a wide audience.