First Reviews for Resident Evil are Out, Zach Cregger May have Saved the Series

Resident Evil has struggled for years to quite capture the same atmosphere in cinematic form as the games. That’s why Zach Cregger’s new film, from Weapons and Barbarian, has been under scrutiny since its initial announcement. The social media embargo for the film has been lifted, and initial reactions from press screenings suggest that this time things might be truly different.

Resident Evil Receives Great Praise in Initial Reviews

The majority of initial reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Some viewers even call the film “the best video game adaptation to date.” Zach Cregger’s direction, the balance between horror and humor, and Austin Abrams’ performance in the lead role are particularly praised. The most frequent criticism so far is that the finale isn’t as strong as the rest of the film.

It turns out Cregger significantly altered the film later on to strike that balance. The director says that audiences liked the film during test screenings but found it too funny. He then removed many jokes, and saw that audience reactions improved. He himself states that he prefers the final version.

The story focuses on Bryan, a medical courier played by Austin Abrams, who finds himself in the middle of a fight for survival on a terrifying night. Instead of directly repeating the story of previous adaptations, the film establishes a new narrative within the Resident Evil universe. The cast also includes Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser.

Of course, these are just social media reactions; it’s best not to get too excited before comprehensive reviews are available. But for fans who have been asking for years, “Has this Resident Evil movie finally succeeded?”, the start isn’t bad at all. Resident Evil will be released on September 18th, and then we’ll see if Cregger has truly changed the series’ unfortunate cinematic fortunes.

Read More: Xbox Game Pass September 2026 Wave 2 Games Announced