After a long wait, the latest movie adaptation from the Resident Evil game franchise has finally come back from the dead. “Resident Evil” directed and co-written by Zach Cregger has arrived in movie theaters. Cregger takes the franchise and adapts it to something that stays true to the game. The movie balances the terror, suspense and fun that the true fans of the game have been waiting for.
The film follows Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical courier who accepts a job at Raccoon City Hospital, where is ground zero for the zombie outbreak in the games and where the movie’s story begins.
The character balances the terrifying body horror with a comical tone. Throughout the movie, Austin Abrams allows the audience to laugh, scream or feel bad for his character and the situation he got himself into.
Cregger’s “Resident Evil” works by focusing on a regular person who learned how to use a gun thanks to playing video games but lacks survival skills of a typical action superhero. Austin Abrams really gets into the characterization of the protagonist, showing that he is a star in the making.
One of the strongest elements of Cregger’s “Resident Evil” is how he balances horror with comedy. Instead of relying only on jumpscares, the movie uses dark humor that comes from the situation and Bryan’s dialogue.
In one scene, he has to place a female zombie into a car. Even though the scene is visually funny, he makes it even funnier saying lines that feel very much like a corny spoof of a horror film.
In many scenes throughout the film, Bryan’s character uses his wimpy, scaredy-cat natured dialogue to make the more intense scenes more relatable and comedic. Nevertheless, the humor can sometimes take away the suspense instead of adding to it.
Even though “Resident Evil” doesn’t completely adapt the story of the games, it feels very connected to the video game experience. Instead of using characters that fans of the games recognize, the movie follows a new character who faces different challenges that feel like different levels of a game.
Bryan has to explore new places, solve puzzles, find weapons and deal with limited resources while trying to survive from the zombies. He even gains new weapons or upgrades every time he reaches a new “level.” The movie also incorporates elements from the game, such as Umbrella Corporation, Raccoon City, typewriters, healing items, and the classical survival style.
It also incorporates POV and over-the-shoulder shots that make the audience feel as if they are controlling Bryan themselves. Zach Cregger doesn’t necessarily recreate the same elements of the game but he definitely captured what it feels like to actually play “Resident Evil”.
Another element that makes “Resident Evil” feel like a video game is its cinematography. The movie uses dark lightning, creepy locations and different camera angles to create a vibe that feels similar to the games. The use of POV and over the shoulder shots makes the audience feel like they are following the story really close.
The dark and isolated locations create suspense so the audience never knows what is going to pop up from the next corner. It also doesn’t completely show the zombies and creatures, so it keeps the audience in suspense, which makes it more scary.
However, even if the scene builds up tension through elements like lightning, camera movement, and sound, the joke that the protagonist suddenly makes breaks up the moment. Even with this, the visual style that Cregger implemented helps the movie capture the dark and unpredictable feeling of the video games.
Overall, Zach Cregger’s “Resident Evil” is an adaptation that truly understands what makes the games unforgettable. The movie works out by creating a protagonist who feels more like an ordinary person instead of a typical action superhero, the actor Austin Abrams leads with humor and emotion to Bryan.
Although, sometimes the jokes and humor takes away the suspense, it also gives the movie its own personality. Cregger understands that being true to the games doesn’t mean copying the characters and stories, but just taking elements, challenges and a survival atmosphere can create a new experience for fans and not fans of this franchise.
After years of waiting for an adaptation that captures the spirit of the games, Cregger’s movie finally gives the fans a version that allows them to live the world of Resident Evil.
