--- title: "Resident Evil: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/resident-evil/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/resident-evil" critics_score: 79 critics_reviews: 32 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Resident Evil (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 79 from 32 reviews: 29 positive, 3 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics are in favour, and the praise gathers in the same three places. Zach Cregger’s direction is credited with a lean, bloody reboot that plays like a night with the games themselves, down to the first-person camera. Austin Abrams’ hapless courier is singled out as the film’s anchor. The practical effects and creature design draw near-unanimous approval, along with the mix of gore and comedy. Several reviews call it the best Resident Evil film by a distance. The reservations concentrate on the back half. A number of critics find the momentum fades once the contained first act gives way to bigger set pieces, with the ending described as unwieldy or repetitive. The Observer argues the episodic, game-like structure defuses suspense, and Den of Geek finds it slight and empty. Time Out thinks it more goofy than frightening. The spread is narrow: no review is negative, and even the mixed ones concede it beats every previous adaptation. ## Radio Times Rating 5/5. 18 September 2026. Cregger understands the DNA of the franchise and crafts a unique, fun, frenetic and gory horror with standout body horror moments and an everyman protagonist who hooks the audience. It is likely his best yet. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/scifi/resident-evil-zach-cregger-review/) ## Empire — Harry Stainer Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. The critic calls it the best Resident Evil movie yet and a tight, bloody 90-minute thrill-ride that captures the games' essence through setpieces and resource management. Austin Abrams' everyman performance is singled out as the glue holding it together, though the narrative lacks Cregger's usual twists after a strong first act. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/resident-evil-2026/) ## Financial Times — Danny Leigh Rating ★★★★☆. 16 September 2026. Cregger applies himself to the video game adaptation with a lean reboot about a medical courier assailed by malign forces. The result is one of the most purely enjoyable B movies of recent memory. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/9bcd4e37-9257-4982-af61-127ff52b2f73) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. The critic finds Cregger's Resident Evil a bombastic, bloody and back-to-basics reboot that successfully resets the franchise. They single out the impactful, inventive effects drawn from the game's visuals and Austin Abrams' pitch-perfect lead performance. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/resident-evil-review-zach-cregger-follows-weapons-with-high-octane-back-to-basics-reboot-of-hit-video-game-franchise/5220471.article) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Frank Scheck Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. Cregger has rejuvenated the Resident Evil series with a propulsive, terrifying and hilarious thrill ride that showcases his cinematic chops and perverse sense of humor. The critic praises the imaginative set pieces, gore, and Austin Abrams' performance as the everyman hero. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/resident-evil-review-zach-cregger-austin-abrams-1236702545/) ## The New York Times — Brandon Yu Rating Critic’s Pick. 17 September 2026. The reboot is the most raucously entertaining thrill ride of the year. The critic singles out the stylish late title card and the first-person-shooter camera perspective that creates visceral gaming-checkpoint suspense. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/movies/resident-evil-review.html) ## Total Film — Jordan Farley Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. The critic declares it the best Resi movie by a distance and the best video game movie full stop. It is praised for feeling like playing a very good video game while delivering strong gore and gameplay mimicry. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/movies/resident-evil-movie-review/) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 4/4/4. 16 September 2026. Cregger sets a new high bar for video game adaptations with an unabashedly nasty, gore-soaked take that honours the spirit of the games while forging something fresh. It works like gangbusters as effective, stripped-back horror. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/resident-evil) ## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2026. Cregger's reboot stands out as a fun, playful riff on the games that mimics the experience of playing them through a hapless protagonist's eyes. The director's horror imagery and humor shine, though the ending feels a bit unwieldy. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-09-18/resident-evil-review-reboot-zach-cregger-austin-abrams-paul-walter-hauser-kali-reis) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. The critic praises Zach Cregger’s direction for delivering a seat-edge thriller with expert pacing and comic-horrific timing. Standout lead performance from Austin Abrams as a hapless everyman is highlighted as a fresh point-of-view character. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/sep/16/resident-evil-reboot-movie-review) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. Cregger’s reboot is a funky, creepy-crawly squishfest that is different and better than prior entries, with a light quirky tone and inventive monster effects. The critic praises the ordinary, non-macho hero and the film’s refusal to take itself too seriously while staying alive and fun. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/resident-evil-review-zach-cregger-1236863421/) ## Sight and Sound Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2026. Cregger’s reboot jettisons franchise lore for a standalone zombie thriller that captures the maddening experience of playing the games. It intermingles slapstick and shocks effectively through an ordinary protagonist. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/resident-evil-zach-creggers-thrilling-reboot-pares-things-back-essentials-survival-horror) ## The AV Club — Jacob Oller Rating B. 16 September 2026. Cregger's reboot is a focused "bad day on the job" film that's funnier and meaner, excelling in its contained first act with relatable horror and comedy, but loses some momentum in larger set pieces. Abrams' performance and wit make it one of the best video game adaptations. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/resident-evil-review-2026-zach-cregger-reboot-austin-abrams) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. Cregger delivers a relentless, lean adaptation that captures the spirit of the games in an 85-minute thrill ride centered on an ordinary courier. It points toward the future of video-game movies even if it occasionally veers too goofy. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/resident-evil-movie-review-2026-zach-cregger-1235217403/) ## Slant Magazine — Justin Clark Rating 3/4. 16 September 2026. Clark finds the reboot a hilarious, gory ride that adapts the games’ experience rather than their plots. He praises how the comedy’s timing meshes with effective jump scares and Austin Abrams’s relatable reactions. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/resident-evil-review-austin-abrams-zach-cregger/) ## The Times Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. Zach Cregger approaches the tired zombie universe with giddy enthusiasm, resulting in a thoughtful and earnest reboot with a great turn from Austin Abrams. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/resident-evil-review-a-delightful-reboot-thanks-to-the-weapons-creator-86vx79pfh) ## The New Yorker — Tyler Foggatt Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2026. Foggatt finds the film thrilling and well-crafted, but somewhat disappointing beside Zach Cregger’s more ambitious work. They praise its playful recreation of survival-horror gameplay, especially the resource-searching and combat details. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-current-cinema/resident-evil-is-fun-but-soulless-what-else-could-it-be) ## Vulture — Alison Willmore Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2026. The film works best as a Cregger movie, a bitterly funny horror-comedy that gives an NPC-like courier his moment in a zombie apocalypse. It is deftly done but the least interesting of his films to date. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-resident-evil-gives-an-npc-his-time-to-shine.html) ## The Observer — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2026. The film fails to match the tension and structure of Cregger's earlier horrors like Barbarian and Weapons, largely because its video game-inspired episodic format defuses suspense. It stands well above previous Resident Evil adaptations thanks to its stomach-turning practical effects and gallows humour. [Read the review](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/wendy-ides-films-of-the-week-resident-evil-queen-at-sea-shaun-the-sheep-the-beast-of-mossy-bottom) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 3/5. 16 September 2026. Cregger upgrades the filmmaking but the result is still more goofy and good-looking than actually frightening, with an endearing everyman hero and gnarly creature design. It is a fun Friday night ride but not a horror classic. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/resident-evil-review-2026) ## Polygon — Jake Kleinman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. Cregger's adaptation captures the fight-or-flight essence of playing a Resident Evil game through an everyman courier's harrowing night. The critic highlights the film's mix of humor, scares, gross-out elements, and inventive monster designs while noting its mostly solitary focus as both a strength and minor weakness. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/resident-evil-review-zach-cregger/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. The critic hails the film as Cregger’s best yet and the first great Resident Evil adaptation, capturing the games’ strange mix of terror turning ridiculous. It is praised for faithfully evoking the experience of playing the survival-horror series through breathless thrills, character sensitivity, and tonal shifts rather than strict lore fidelity. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/resident-evil-2026-review-zach-cregger/) ## Eye for Film — Andrew Robertson Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2026. Festival review. The critic finds it an entertaining, effective adaptation and urges audiences to see it. They praise its balance of comedy and carnage, along with its distinctive synth-driven score. [Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/resident-evil-2026-film-review-by-andrew-robertson) ## Consequence Rating B+. 16 September 2026. The film delivers tense, adrenaline-fueled horror with effective jump scares and humor that heightens rather than diffuses tension. Austin Abrams shines as the flawed, relatable lead forced to survive an outbreak while attempting a simple delivery. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2026/09/resident-evil-2026-movie-review-zach-cregger/) ## Collider — Carly Lane Rating 8/10. 16 September 2026. Cregger's Resident Evil succeeds with its stripped-down approach focused on an everyman protagonist navigating Raccoon City. The critic praises Austin Abrams' relatable performance and the expert balance of horror and comedy, though notes the third act loses some initial luster. [Read the review](https://collider.com/resident-evil-movie-2026-review-zach-cregger/) ## Digital Spy — Ian Sandwell Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. The critic highlights how the film captures the spirit of playing the games through nods, set pieces, and tension, with strong lead performance and balance of humor and horror, though the ending doesn't quite land. It's one of the most entertaining horror movies of the year and the best live-action RE film. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a73722380/resident-evil-review-2026/) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Rating 7.5/10. 16 September 2026. The critic praises the film's lean pacing, gross-out practical effects, and fun, game-like structure with an inept hero, but notes the script is thin with undercooked subplots. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/2260033/zach-cregger-resident-evil-movie-review/) ## Deadline Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 September 2026. The critic praises Cregger for delivering a smart, original reboot of the horror franchise that retains core elements while creating a fresh template and storyline. Austin Abrams is singled out as a propulsive new star, with humor highlighted as the key element that keeps the adrenaline-driven scenario engaging and darkly comedic. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2026/09/resident-evil-review-zach-cregger-austin-abrams-horror-1237105163/) ## HeyUGuys Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). The review finds the film terrifying, goofy and visually spectacular, though its rushed ending disappoints. It praises the relentless pursuit scenes and their carefully paced tension. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/resident-evil-review/) ## NME — Jordan Bassett Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2026. The critic finds the first half a thrilling white-knuckle ride of gore, jump scares and comic tone that stays true to the games, but the second half descends into numbing repetition as battles with bio-engineered monsters repeat. Overall, Cregger proves it is far from game over for the franchise. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/resident-evil-review-zach-cregger-austin-abrams-video-game-3969434) ## The Ringer — Adam Nayman Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2026. Nayman finds the film brisk and entertaining, though its horror rarely becomes genuinely frightening. He particularly praises Austin Abrams’s physical, comic performance as the film’s hapless protagonist. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2026/09/22/movies/resident-evil-review-zach-cregger-austin-abrams-video-game-adaptation) ## Den of Geek — David Crow Rating 3 out of 5. 16 September 2026. The critic praises Cregger for capturing the suspense and atmosphere of the games in the first half, but notes the film is slight and has tonal issues in trying to add profundity or subversion. Overall, it's the best Resident Evil movie but feels empty and like a B-movie. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/resident-evil-review-decent-raccoon-city/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/resident-evil.md