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Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil refreshes the struggling horror franchise
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot is praised as a confident revival of the struggling horror franchise, combining horror, humour and extreme gore in a fresh but accessible way. The film reportedly works even for viewers unfamiliar with the games or previous adaptations, giving the series a distinctive new direction.
Set in present-day Raccoon City as the T-virus spreads, the original story follows medical courier Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, whose final delivery goes disastrously wrong after he hits an infected woman and becomes stranded. Abrams’ performance is singled out for conveying awkwardness, frustration and panic, while the reboot’s success contrasts with 2021’s poorly received Welcome to Raccoon City, which grossed $42 million worldwide against a $25 million budget, and a Netflix series cancelled after one season.
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In short
- Cregger gives Resident Evil a fresh, entertaining reboot.
- The film balances scares, humour and grotesque gore.
- Austin Abrams anchors its tense survival story.
How this story developed
- 2 months ago The film's small supporting cast concentrates narrative weight on Abrams, whose performance is praised for conveying Bryan's emotional progression from awkward courier through mounting frustration to terror as horrors unfold in present-day Raccoon City.
- 2 months ago Rather than adapting the games directly, Cregger has created an original narrative functioning as an alternate timeline within the Resident Evil universe, introducing new characters throughout, with Abrams delivering an expressive performance that particularly shines amid grotesque practical effects and the film's deliberate swings between horror and comedy.
- 2 months ago Director Zach Cregger's Resident Evil reboot has drawn praise as a confident revival of the struggling horror franchise, blending horror, humour and gore in an accessible manner that engages viewers unfamiliar with the games or prior screen adaptations, following medical courier Bryan (Austin Abrams) who becomes stranded when his final delivery goes catastrophically wrong after hitting an infected woman.
Explained simply
Resident Evil is a major horror franchise that began as a video game series in the 1990s. It centres on a fictional virus called the T-virus that turns people into dangerous creatures, typically set in the city of Raccoon City.
The Resident Evil franchise has struggled on screen in recent years. Previous film adaptations have underperformed at the box office, and a Netflix series based on the property was cancelled after just one season. The most recent film, Welcome to Raccoon City, earned $42 million worldwide against its $25 million budget, which studios consider disappointing.
Director Zach Cregger has taken a different approach to the material, creating an original story rather than adapting an existing game. His film is set in present-day Raccoon City and follows Bryan, a medical courier played by Austin Abrams, who encounters an infected woman during his final delivery. The small cast means Abrams carries much of the film, portraying a character grappling with an unfolding crisis.
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Originally published by Ars Technica as “Review: Resident Evil is the fresh take this flagging franchise really needed”.