Written by Cameron Geiser

Zach Cregger is quickly becoming a new favorite voice in the Horror genre with three confident and competent films under his belt now with the release of this spooky season’s Resident Evil. Apologies to fans of Miss March, but I’m not counting it here (even though I too enjoy a good stupid sex comedy from time to time). Fans of the video game series of the same name, Rejoice! We didn’t just get “A Good One”, we got perhaps the best video game adaptation so far! Cregger made the correct choice to make a film that takes place in the world of Resident Evil, not by adapting any one specific storyline from the mainline games, but by doing something fresh. If you’re a fan of the earlier games you’ll likely be familiar with aspects of the film that will feel appropriately nostalgic while maintaining a unique flare of unpredictable scares and creepshows that this original take brings to the table.

Our audience surrogate is Bryan (Austin Abrams) the ill-fated courier that decides to take one last delivery for the night, a chance at double pay makes the offer far more palatable. Bryan was a fascinating character choice for the lead of a new take on Resident Evil because he’s just a guy. He’s not a special ops tactical soldier like a lot of the games’ main characters. He’s not even a cop. He’s not good with guns, as he himself admits at one point, and he’s not here to save the day or be a hero. He’s just trying to do his job and go home. So in the midst of a winter storm Bryan heads out to deliver his last parcel of the night to Raccoon City. One of the most doomed places in all of video games. He’s frantically trying to call his girlfriend back during the drive out in the snowy forest when he hits one of the walking dead. This is the beginning of the Umbrella Corporation’s outbreak though, so instead of driving away as fast as possible, Bryan goes to help the woman he hit. He Buckles her into the passenger seat before getting pulled over by a Cop who chastises him for driving up the snowy mountain path without chains on his tires for traction. One thing leads to another and before you know it the Cop’s car is flipped in the middle of the road and Bryan has to grab his first gun of the film before running off to the lone farmhouse in the distance.

A *Resident Evil* film that’s actually good? In this economy? It’s more likely than you’d think (thanks to Zach Cregger).

I won’t divulge too much more of the plot, because I would rather leave the mysterious atmosphere intact, but the sensations evoked throughout the film do exactly what Zach Cregger set out to do with this adaptation. Reportedly he wanted to recreate the experience of playing the games rather than strictly adapting the games, especially because he thought the games were so well done that he couldn’t improve upon them. Now that’s a fan. There are so many little visual cues, like a typewriter in an office set off the main path. Green herbs in abandoned cars. Keys, padlocks, and lore-accurate guns that escalate in quality and firepower as the film rolls along. There were also several sequences like, through a dark tunnel, under the sewers, through an abandoned house, urban sprawls and skyscrapers, a hospital- it all looks and feels in line with the early games in the series. Then there's the excellent cinematography choices, often mimicking

how the camera moves and flows in video game cutscenes but also during the gameplay elements as well. I don’t want to say “perfect” but it felt perfect at times. It’s all done so well, but the best aspect of the whole film in my opinion is Zach Cregger’s ability to build tension with finesse. His jumpscares work too. I usually hate jumpscares in Horror films, but Resident Evil reminded me that I don’t really hate the jumpscare as a concept– I hate cheap jumpscares. You know, like the ones littering every Conjuring movie. But again, the thick tension that’s present throughout the whole film with a few exceptions is crafted brilliantly. Which is another highlight in itself since the movie is a return to the 90 minutes runtime with every minute used effectively. I can’t say enough good things about this film, it’s a great time at the theatre and I highly recommend seeking it out!

Cameron Geiser is an avid consumer of films and books about filmmakers. He'll watch any film at least once, and can usually be spotted at the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Northern Michigan. He also writes about film over at www.spacecortezwrites.com.