Zach Cregger revives the Resident Evil zombie franchise
Until recently, the phrase video game adaptation triggered a mixture of awe and outright skepticism among film fans. The initial attempts often felt like a mismatch—a lineup of pixellated characters struggling to translate their digital worlds onto the big screen. Early attempts, like the live-action Super Mario Bros.>, didn’t exactly inspire Hollywood for three decades.
It took time for the worlds of gaming and cinema to realize they shared a potent narrative DNA. The convergence of gaming’s complex storytelling and film’s visual capabilities has opened up exciting new possibilities for cross-media storytelling. We have seen this potential flourish with successful adaptations like Super Mario Bros. Movie> and Sonic>, proving that the leap from console to cinema is not just possible, but thrilling.
The history of adaptation is also defined by massive franchises. The Resident Evil saga, for example, had already demonstrated its staying power, with the cinematic adaptations pulling in over $1.2 billion at the box office. This financial success suggested that the potential for cinematic expansion was enormous.
When the focus shifted to the next major property, questions naturally arose about the next big adaptation. Could the cinematic treatment of Resident Evil deliver the same visceral impact? The answer, it seems, is a resounding yes.
Director Zach Cregger, known for his unflinching style in films like Weapons>, took on this challenge, aiming to translate the tension and structure of the games into a cinematic experience. The resulting film is a masterclass in blending action and horror.
The narrative structure holds true to the game’s mission-like pacing, where the protagonist, Bryan, is thrust into an unfolding crisis. The film expertly uses interactions that feel like embedded cutscenes, guiding the audience through the unfolding events, such as his encounters with figures representing the sinister Umbrella corporation.
This cinematic approach creates a dual experience: the first half is a pure, white-knuckle ride filled with nail-biting tension, while the latter half dives into repetitive, deeply unsettling repetition as Bryan confronts increasingly grotesque bio-engineered monsters.
Ultimately, the film succeeds by balancing intense gore and visceral jump scares with a knowingly comic tone, adding a layer of chaotic energy to the relentless survival narrative. While the adaptation evokes the feeling of watching someone else play a game while waiting for your turn, it firmly establishes that the legacy of Resident Evil is far from over. It’s a powerful testament to how video games continue to shape and inspire the cinematic landscape.
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