Many have tried to adapt Resident Evil to the screen. Most have failed, to varying degrees.
The latest to try is Weapons and Barbarian director Zach Cregger. He took the decision to ignore what the movies and TV shows had tried to do, and just focus on the guts of the property – at times quite literally.
The result? Well, according to these reviews it looks whatever he has created has hit the spot, both as a video game adaptation and as straight up horror movie.
Fans of the franchise were vocal in their dislike for the approach he was taking. Will they be forced to eat some humble pie here?
With the movie sitting at 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, this is what the summary pages have to say:
“It feels thoroughly like a film by Zach Cregger… proving that subtle, psychological work isn’t always the superior horror when you have a filmmaker who can deliver a jump scare shock with this much elegant panache.”
Loughrey, The Independent
”An explosive horror experience which, unlike every other ‘Resident Evil’ adaptation, captures the strange dichotomy of this popular video game series. It starts out terrifying, gradually becomes ridiculous, and totally gets away with that tonal shift.”
William Bibbiani, The Wrap
“This is 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.”
David Ehrlich, IndieWire
“Cregger very much makes the film his own while displaying his obvious affinity for the source material. He’s crafted a propulsive, simultaneously terrifying and hilarious thrill ride that showcases both his cinematic chops and perverse sense of humor.”
Frank Scheck, THR
“Cregger’s most straightforward horror film to date — pure adrenaline, showcasing the director’s real talent for crafting jump scares that truly do shock you without playing as overtly cruel or manipulative.” without playing as overtly cruel or manipulative.”
Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
“Cregger has shown exactly how you should approach a video game movie. Tell the story you want, pepper it with nods that fans will love and capture the spirit of playing the game. Canon be damned, Resident Evil is a winner.”
Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy
“Cregger and Hatten have concocted a wild, hilarious, unpredictably bonkers thrill ride from start to finish with nary a moment to catch your breath. They’re cooking with napalm.”
Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Resident Evil is out tomorrow.
