There is currently a resurgence of video game adaptation movies. Some have been more successful than others, while some have left me questioning: why? What’s the point?
Resident Evil has a long history of adaptations – from the Paul W. S. Anderson movies to the failed reboot not long ago and the TV series that went nowhere.
So, when Sony announced another attempt at the IP, I just felt so done with it.
However, there was a catch – it was announced that the movie would be helmed by Zach Cregger, a renowned horror director who is also a long-time gamer and fan of the video game series. That made me feel a bit less worried about the re-reboot.
When the first trailer came out, a lot of people were sceptical. Zach made it quite clear that none of the characters we know would appear in the movie and that there would be a completely new protagonist. For me, while it didn’t have the nostalgia factor, I thought it was not a bad idea to shed the baggage of the video game series, as long as it stayed true to the games themselves.
Which I think Zach delivered.
The new protagonist was simply someone caught in a bad place at a bad time, and “surviving” the ordeal was all he cared about. So, it’s a survival story in a horror movie. But then you might ask – isn’t that the same for all horror movies? Yes, but also no. What Zach delivered to the audience was the gaming feel of survival horror that long-term fans of the franchise will be able to relate to.
The main difference between Zach’s Resident Evil and the other Resident Evil movies or TV series was that you weren’t just watching someone else’s story. Zach managed to deliver an experience where we, as the audience, felt like we were going through the story as the protagonist. The occasional shifts in point of view – from third-person to over-the-shoulder and even first-person – made you feel like you were inside the game or the movie, despite not physically being there. And I think that is what made this movie so memorable as an experience (apart from all the really gory bits). The protagonist’s helplessness; the way he moved from one area to another and then needed to explore; and the need to find keys to open simple locks that even a truck or a shotgun couldn’t destroy were all great nods to the franchise fans’ collective memories. I still remember how I laughed out loud when I saw the diamond shape on one of the padlocks. Further, the clever placement of items that paid homage to the games subtly reminded you that you were watching a Resident Evil movie. Seriously, Bryan, the protagonist should have spotted the herbs and first aid sprays – but then, haven’t we all failed to notice them until after leaving the area and having someone point them out?
Austin Abrams was perfectly cast as the protagonist. Some of his reactions and comments about the things happening around him were exactly how we reacted when playing the games. We called out nonsensical puzzles, missed shots when we needed to conserve ammo, and went through every drawer looking for ammunition – though I still couldn’t get over the green herb and first aid spray parts. This is not a fish-out-of-water story, but a real survival horror movie in which the protagonist slowly levelled up his skills to survive one more area. The monsters and zombies were not exact one-for-one recreations from the games, but they had features and behaviours that referenced titles across the series. They might have different names in the movie, but we call them by their in-game names anyway.
Resident Evil 2026 is a completely different take on the franchise in movie form – and a very smart one. The audience can see the director’s love for the franchise without feeling patronised or told what they are supposed to notice, and that’s what I think is so smart about this adaptation. The game-like structure of the storytelling is also a unique creative decision that I think many future video game adaptations will copy.
If you are a Resident Evil fan, I would highly recommend checking it out. I was impressed despite my weariness with yet another Resident Evil movie. You could be too.
Resident Evil is now in theatres.
