Resident Evil is the Rare Remake That’s Worth Your Time
Reboots are by no means a novel concept when it comes to modern moviemaking, and the horror genre is no exception. So, why in this current boom of video game films being made should the Resident Evil franchise be treated any differently? It’s a popular piece of intellectual property that has had 7 movies already made about its mutated world. The fact that we got another one of these is not a surprise, but just how good it turned out to be is, as Resident Evil turned out to be a pulse-pounding thrill ride that is the most purely entertaining time at the movies so far this year.
Written and directed by Zach Creggar, who brought us Barbarian and Weapons over the past few years, Resident Evil tells the 94-minute tale of a courier (Austin Abrams) in the midst of a rough day who has been tasked with delivering a package to a hospital in the remote Raccoon City. While on his journey he quickly discovers that something is seriously off about this region as he begins to encounter mutated creatures. What was initially supposed to be a quick delivery to grab some extra cash devolves into a frantic race to complete his delivery, try to figure out just what is going on, and hopefully survive the night.
The reason that there is only one actor mentioned in this synopsis is because there isn’t really anybody else to elaborate on. The story rests firmly on the shoulders of Austin Abrams as the central figure in this first-person narrative. He is tasked with carrying every scene and delivers in what is an incredibly charismatic performance that straddles the line between being comedic and serious effortlessly as well as authentically. It’s a natural everyman-type portrayal that allows him to successfully serve as an audience avatar and in the process causes the viewer to feel the same fear and confusion that Abrams does like they are going through this terrifying night for the first time too. In this way, the movie also does an admirable job capturing the feeling of progressing through one of the Resident Evil video games, while not distracting from the pure cinematic experience.
The film is not outright scary but does an excellent job with the help of an intense score and taut script of ratcheting up the suspense and maintaining it from start to finish. You’ll find yourself locked in throughout, unsure of what will transpire next. The story possesses a large component of gore associated with the mutated creatures on display that will likely be a turnoff for some, but if you’re able to look past that aspect then what remains is a riveting roller coaster ride filled with gasps and laughs. Yes, laughs. While Resident Evil is at its core an intense survival story revolving around murderous creatures, it also possesses a good amount of humor interwoven throughout that doesn’t come off forced or undercut any of the tension. The climax attempts to go bigger and stands out as a little more chaotic compared to the rest of the story, which otherwise is quite compelling with a breakneck pace that manages to feel genuine with its character decisions and plot progression.
In the wrong hands Resident Evil could have easily been just another extraneous franchise flick, but Creggar had other plans. He managed to breathe new life into this aged franchise with a fresh new take on the source material that resulted in not only his best film to date, but a tense hyperviolent adventure that will keep people entrenched in their seats. The graphic nature may at times be too much for some, but it is unquestionably a riveting experience that is sure to bump up your heart rate. I give it 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the horror genre, especially those who enjoy some action, or humor mixed in.
-Matt Chouinard
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