Resident Evil (2026)

Cregger understands the DNA of the franchise and crafts a unique, fun, frenetic and gory horror with standout body horror moments and an everyman protagonist who hooks the audience. It is likely his best yet.

The critic calls it the best Resident Evil movie yet and a tight, bloody 90-minute thrill-ride that captures the games' essence through setpieces and resource management. Austin Abrams' everyman performance is singled out as the glue holding it together, though the narrative lacks Cregger's usual twists after a strong first act.

Cregger applies himself to the video game adaptation with a lean reboot about a medical courier assailed by malign forces. The result is one of the most purely enjoyable B movies of recent memory.

The critic finds Cregger's Resident Evil a bombastic, bloody and back-to-basics reboot that successfully resets the franchise. They single out the impactful, inventive effects drawn from the game's visuals and Austin Abrams' pitch-perfect lead performance.

Cregger has rejuvenated the Resident Evil series with a propulsive, terrifying and hilarious thrill ride that showcases his cinematic chops and perverse sense of humor. The critic praises the imaginative set pieces, gore, and Austin Abrams' performance as the everyman hero.

The reboot is the most raucously entertaining thrill ride of the year. The critic singles out the stylish late title card and the first-person-shooter camera perspective that creates visceral gaming-checkpoint suspense.

The critic declares it the best Resi movie by a distance and the best video game movie full stop. It is praised for feeling like playing a very good video game while delivering strong gore and gameplay mimicry.

Cregger sets a new high bar for video game adaptations with an unabashedly nasty, gore-soaked take that honours the spirit of the games while forging something fresh. It works like gangbusters as effective, stripped-back horror.

Cregger's reboot stands out as a fun, playful riff on the games that mimics the experience of playing them through a hapless protagonist's eyes. The director's horror imagery and humor shine, though the ending feels a bit unwieldy.

The critic praises Zach Cregger’s direction for delivering a seat-edge thriller with expert pacing and comic-horrific timing. Standout lead performance from Austin Abrams as a hapless everyman is highlighted as a fresh point-of-view character.

Cregger’s reboot is a funky, creepy-crawly squishfest that is different and better than prior entries, with a light quirky tone and inventive monster effects. The critic praises the ordinary, non-macho hero and the film’s refusal to take itself too seriously while staying alive and fun.

Cregger’s reboot jettisons franchise lore for a standalone zombie thriller that captures the maddening experience of playing the games. It intermingles slapstick and shocks effectively through an ordinary protagonist.

Cregger's reboot is a focused "bad day on the job" film that's funnier and meaner, excelling in its contained first act with relatable horror and comedy, but loses some momentum in larger set pieces. Abrams' performance and wit make it one of the best video game adaptations.

Cregger delivers a relentless, lean adaptation that captures the spirit of the games in an 85-minute thrill ride centered on an ordinary courier. It points toward the future of video-game movies even if it occasionally veers too goofy.

Clark finds the reboot a hilarious, gory ride that adapts the games’ experience rather than their plots. He praises how the comedy’s timing meshes with effective jump scares and Austin Abrams’s relatable reactions.

Zach Cregger approaches the tired zombie universe with giddy enthusiasm, resulting in a thoughtful and earnest reboot with a great turn from Austin Abrams.

Foggatt finds the film thrilling and well-crafted, but somewhat disappointing beside Zach Cregger’s more ambitious work. They praise its playful recreation of survival-horror gameplay, especially the resource-searching and combat details.

The film works best as a Cregger movie, a bitterly funny horror-comedy that gives an NPC-like courier his moment in a zombie apocalypse. It is deftly done but the least interesting of his films to date.

The film fails to match the tension and structure of Cregger's earlier horrors like Barbarian and Weapons, largely because its video game-inspired episodic format defuses suspense. It stands well above previous Resident Evil adaptations thanks to its stomach-turning practical effects and gallows humour.

Cregger upgrades the filmmaking but the result is still more goofy and good-looking than actually frightening, with an endearing everyman hero and gnarly creature design. It is a fun Friday night ride but not a horror classic.

Cregger's adaptation captures the fight-or-flight essence of playing a Resident Evil game through an everyman courier's harrowing night. The critic highlights the film's mix of humor, scares, gross-out elements, and inventive monster designs while noting its mostly solitary focus as both a strength and minor weakness.

The critic hails the film as Cregger’s best yet and the first great Resident Evil adaptation, capturing the games’ strange mix of terror turning ridiculous. It is praised for faithfully evoking the experience of playing the survival-horror series through breathless thrills, character sensitivity, and tonal shifts rather than strict lore fidelity.

The critic finds it an entertaining, effective adaptation and urges audiences to see it. They praise its balance of comedy and carnage, along with its distinctive synth-driven score.

The film delivers tense, adrenaline-fueled horror with effective jump scares and humor that heightens rather than diffuses tension. Austin Abrams shines as the flawed, relatable lead forced to survive an outbreak while attempting a simple delivery.

Cregger's Resident Evil succeeds with its stripped-down approach focused on an everyman protagonist navigating Raccoon City. The critic praises Austin Abrams' relatable performance and the expert balance of horror and comedy, though notes the third act loses some initial luster.

The critic highlights how the film captures the spirit of playing the games through nods, set pieces, and tension, with strong lead performance and balance of humor and horror, though the ending doesn't quite land. It's one of the most entertaining horror movies of the year and the best live-action RE film.

The critic praises the film's lean pacing, gross-out practical effects, and fun, game-like structure with an inept hero, but notes the script is thin with undercooked subplots.

The critic praises Cregger for delivering a smart, original reboot of the horror franchise that retains core elements while creating a fresh template and storyline. Austin Abrams is singled out as a propulsive new star, with humor highlighted as the key element that keeps the adrenaline-driven scenario engaging and darkly comedic.

The review finds the film terrifying, goofy and visually spectacular, though its rushed ending disappoints. It praises the relentless pursuit scenes and their carefully paced tension.

The critic finds the first half a thrilling white-knuckle ride of gore, jump scares and comic tone that stays true to the games, but the second half descends into numbing repetition as battles with bio-engineered monsters repeat. Overall, Cregger proves it is far from game over for the franchise.

Nayman finds the film brisk and entertaining, though its horror rarely becomes genuinely frightening. He particularly praises Austin Abrams’s physical, comic performance as the film’s hapless protagonist.

The critic praises Cregger for capturing the suspense and atmosphere of the games in the first half, but notes the film is slight and has tonal issues in trying to add profundity or subversion. Overall, it's the best Resident Evil movie but feels empty and like a B-movie.