Zach Cregger's "Resident Evil" arrived in theaters on September 16, and the early critical response suggests the filmmaker has once again managed to unsettle audiences in ways they didn't see coming. The horror feature, which stars Austin Abrams as a medical courier named Bryan whose night spirals into unrelenting chaos, has drawn largely favorable notices since its release, with a TMDb rating of 7.806 out of 10 reflecting a generally positive reception. For a franchise that has cycled through multiple big-screen iterations, Cregger's take appears to be striking reviewers as something distinctly its own.
The film clocks in at a lean 95 minutes, a runtime that critics have repeatedly singled out as a strength rather than a limitation. In an era when horror releases often bloat past the two-hour mark, Cregger's decision to keep the story tight and propulsive has been framed as evidence of a director who understands exactly how much punishment an audience can take before exhaustion sets in.
A Fresh Angle on Familiar Territory
What seems to be resonating most is the film's pivot away from the globe-trotting, paramilitary-style action that defined earlier "Resident Evil" adaptations. Instead, the story centers on an ordinary working person - Bryan, a medical courier - who gets swept into a nightmare through sheer bad luck. Reviewers have noted that this ground-level perspective gives the horror a more intimate, visceral quality, trading spectacle for claustrophobia.
Abrams, who carries much of the film as the protagonist, has earned praise for a performance that anchors the escalating mayhem in something recognizably human. The supporting cast has also drawn attention: Zach Cherry appears as Dave, Kali Reis as Pauline, and Paul Walter Hauser as Carl, with Johnno Wilson as Max and Shaun W. Loeser as Puker rounding out the ensemble. The presence of Hauser, in particular, has been flagged by several critics as a memorable addition, though opinions differ on how much screen time his character receives relative to his impact.
Cregger himself voices a role in the film, a detail that has amused some reviewers and intrigued others. The director previously built a reputation for balancing genuine dread with darkly comic undertones, and critics have debated how much of that sensibility carries over into this project. Some argue the humor is more submerged here, while others detect his fingerprints throughout.
The Genre Question
"Resident Evil" is classified as horror, science fiction, and adventure - a combination that has historically been difficult to pull off without one element undermining the others. Early reviews suggest Cregger largely manages the balancing act, though not every critic agrees on which genre dominates. A few have described the film as more of a survival thriller than a traditional sci-fi horror, with the science fiction elements operating largely as backdrop rather than driving the narrative.
The rating of 7.806 out of 10 on TMDb is not a definitive measure of quality, but it does indicate that viewers who have logged their reactions are responding warmly. That figure may shift as more audiences weigh in over the coming weeks.
What It Means for the Franchise
The "Resident Evil" brand has been through several reinventions, from Paul W. S. Anderson's original film series to a 2021 reboot attempt. Cregger's version represents another reset, and the critical conversation so far suggests it may be the most favorably received entry in years. Whether that translates into a new franchise direction or stands as a one-off creative experiment remains an open question.
For now, the takeaway from critics is relatively consistent: this is a focused, well-acted horror film that uses its premise efficiently and doesn't overstay its welcome. It may not satisfy viewers hoping for the bombastic action of earlier adaptations, but those willing to follow Cregger down a narrower, more personal corridor of terror appear to be finding plenty to appreciate.
"Resident Evil" is currently playing in theaters.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
