^{Credit: Resident Evil (Sony Pictures Releasing)}

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 Between Barbarian and Weapons, Zach Cregger gave us two films that went in completely unexpected directions. Cregger’s career has also had its fair share of curveballs, going from The Whitest Kids U' Know to modern master of horror. Directing a Resident Evil movie is another surprise move for Cregger, albeit not an unwelcome one. Admittedly, I’m more familiar with the Resident Evil games than the films, although it’s not a hot take to say the franchise has been more successful in one medium than the other. Is this the Resident Evil movie diehard fans have wanted for decades? Not exactly, but the film is a gruesomely entertaining blend of a survival horror staple and a director’s unique vision.

Visually, Cregger captures the spine-chilling atmosphere of the games, shooting a standard locale like an abandoned farmhouse with a distinctly Resident Evil vibe. He does this without over-relying on cheeky in-jokes and Easter eggs, although a typewriter does pop up. Cregger also gets the spirit of the games down, which can go from unnervingly quiet to bombastic in a second. What Cregger really nails are the outlandish zombies, which only grow more over-the-top like a bloody snowball rolling down a mountain. It genuinely feels like the games brought to life, with one difference: the main character.

Don’t expect to see Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, or any of the established heroes from the games take charge here. Instead, Austin Abrams plays Brian, a medical courier who agrees to deliver a package to Raccoon City. This is the first of many terrible decisions throughout the film. Almost every choice Brian makes is the wrong one. Even when armed with a gun, he’s a bumbling doofus in the face of certain death. Yet, he keeps narrowly dodging death, often through sheer dumb luck – emphasis on the dumb. Occasionally he gets a badass moment, but another face-palm is bound to follow. The other characters, which include Paul Walter Hauser as an Umbrella scientist, aren’t much smarter.

In another movie, Brian might come off as too stupid. In a Resident Evil movie, though, it’s clear what Cregger is going for. Brian is less like Leon Kennedy and more like the average gamer who got sucked into the world of Resident Evil. Turns out that shooting up zombies isn’t as easy as it looks. As far as original characters in video game movies go, Brian is far more fun to watch than Cole Young in Mortal Kombat. As questionable as some of Brian’s choices are, Abrams makes for a highly relatable lead. He plays Brian with the OMG demeanor of someone who just can’t catch a break, just wanting to go home. Of course, if he makes it home, Brian will have to confront his pregnant girlfriend.

The commentary on impending fatherhood isn’t the film’s most fleshed-out aspect, although there is a scene between Brian and a little girl that manages to be tragic and hilarious. Like Cregger’s previous two films, Resident Evil is a borderline comedy, but it holds back just enough to remain grounded in the horror genre. On the horror-to-comedy scale, it's a step below Shaun of the Dead, right down to its slacker hero. Equal parts creepy and funny, this is very much Cregger’s Resident Evil, much like how The Odyssey was more Nolan and Homer. Those looking for a more straightforward adaptation of the games will have to wait for Leon, Jill, or Claire to be done justice. For now, though, it’s safe to say this is the best Resident Evil movie we’ve ever gotten. Not a huge bar to clear, although Cregger clears it by a wide margin.

Awards Potential:

Best Makeup and Hairstyling (Oscar Shortlist)

 Austin Abrams: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (Golden Globe)

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!