Resident Evil (2026): Not What You Expect

With a budget of around $75 million, the new Resident Evil directed by Zach Cregger has grossed over $401 million worldwide. Not bad for a franchise with a rocky track record on the big screen, especially given how underwhelming its recent live-action outings have been.

The curious thing is that this time they've got it right precisely by moving away from what many of us expected to see in a film from this franchise.

Because Resident Evil is a good movie. Entertaining, different from its predecessors, with a blend of horror, action and comedy that works much better than such an odd mix might suggest.

And let's face it, humor—proper humor—wasn't in any of the franchise's games. Nor in the previous films (hardly). Nor in the Netflix series.

Here, it is.

And that's why it's worth knowing what you're in for before watching, because it might not be what you expect from an adaptation of Capcom's games.

What is Resident Evil about?

The film follows Bryan, an exceptionally conscientious medical courier. Played by Austin Abrams , he finds himself in Raccoon City while making a nighttime delivery.

A routine job turns into a nightmare when he gets caught in an outbreak. The city descends into chaos, with monstrous creatures, some less familiar, and danger around every corner.

From then on, even though his only concern ought to be surviving a night that's getting more complicated by the minute, he insists on completing the delivery.

It's a simple premise, and that's all the film needs. It moves from one tense survival sequence to the next, with bursts of action and plenty of humor along the way.

A different Resident Evil, but remarkably true to how the game feels

Zach Cregger has chosen a side story set within the Resident Evil universe, rather than bringing back the games' main characters and events yet again.

It's a smart approach: the franchise's universe is broad enough to tell other stories and explore different situations without always having to bring in Leon, Claire or any of the usual faces.

What's more, some scenes feel just like playing Resident Evil.

Not so much because of any particular reference, but because of the way situations unfold, the settings the protagonist moves through, the first-person camera, the lack of unlimited ammunition and that constant feeling that every new location presents another challenge.

Anyone who's played the series will recognize the sensation, and recreating that experience without retelling one of the games' stories is quite an achievement.

Humor, gore and terrific pacing

One of the film's greatest strengths is its pacing. It's about an hour and a half long, gets straight to the point and barely gives you time to breathe.

The humor helps enormously here. There's far more of it than you'd probably expect in a film called Resident Evil. And I think that's a very clever decision.

For one thing, it eases the tension and keeps the film moving smoothly. For another, it makes it clear that you don't need to take everything that happens too seriously.

It also softens the impact of the violence, so some very gory moments are far less shocking than they would be if the same scenes appeared in a straight horror film.

So if what you're after is pure, unadulterated horror—the genre most closely associated with the series—you might be surprised by its direction. Yes, there are monsters, tense situations, blood and plenty of gore, but the tone makes even its most outrageous moments oddly fun. 

The effects work well, and the creatures are convincing in the world the film sets up.

Austin Abrams is another huge asset: he's excellent as Bryan. His character is nothing like your typical action hero. He's afraid, gets confused, messes up repeatedly and survives however he can.

The actor gives him just the right comic touch without turning him into a caricature, which is crucial for the film's tone to work.

You can see the fingerprints of Zach Cregger, who already showed what he could do with horror in Weapons, another film I thought was pretty good. Once again, he handles tension, jump scares and shifts in tone brilliantly.

That said, not everything works equally well.

Some of Bryan's choices make it especially hard to buy what's happening. Making mistakes out of fear or nerves is one thing; some of his decisions are much harder to explain.

It isn't the biggest issue, because the pace quickly sweeps you into the next situation, but it does briefly pull you out of the story.

Conclusion: a Resident Evil well worth watching

Resident Evil isn't a masterpiece, but it's great fun. The pace rarely lets up, its unconventional lead works, and the effects and humor give it a distinct identity among the films.

I also like that it has carved out its own place in the franchise rather than insisting on adapting the main story again. And although some script decisions are hard to swallow, the truth is that the hour and a half flies by..

If you fancy having a good time among monsters, scares and pretty ridiculous situations, give it a chance. It's worth it.

What works

• The pacing: the film moves fast, gets straight to the point and never drags.
• The humor: it fits the action and makes the film especially entertaining.
• Austin Abrams: carries the story with a convincing, funny performance.
• The video game feel: captures instantly recognizable Resident Evil moments without directly adapting its story.
• The effects and creatures: solid technical work and plenty of gore, albeit softened by the humorous tone.

What doesn't

• Some of the protagonist's decisions: certain situations are simply too hard to believe.

Resident Evil (2026): technical details

Detail	Information
Original title	Resident Evil
Year	2026
Director	Zach Cregger
Screenplay	Zach Cregger and Shay Hatten
Cast	Austin Abrams, Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Johnno Wilson
Genre	Horror, action, survival, dark comedy
Runtime	93 minutes
Release in Spain	September 2026
Countries	United States and Germany
Distributor	Sony Pictures
Budget	75 million dollars
Worldwide box office	401.1 million dollars (as of November 2026)
Age rating in Spain	Not recommended for viewers under 16