The Resident Evil franchise is a series of survival horror games that take place during a zombie apocalypse. Traditionally, when I review a movie that is based on a video game, I like to play the game before seeing the film. Resident Evil is a film that I broke that rule for.
That said, being a gamer is certainly not a requirement to enjoy this movie. From the start, Resident Evil draws you in with its humor, which is primarily provided by the main character, Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical courier trying to get what he believes to be an organ into Raccoon City.
I was honestly surprised at how funny this movie was. As a fan of fun slashers, I'm no stranger to humor in a horror film. However, the humor felt so human and real that it caught me off guard. I didn't go into the theater expecting to almost choke on my popcorn with laughter. This was a pleasant surprise.
"I didn't just shoot a little girl in the face. I like kids!"
The relatability of Bryan continues as he struggles to survive this impossible encounter with zombies. Most horror films in which characters make bad decisions really make me to roll my eyes, but Bryan's mistakes don't because the film seems to acknowledge that these aren't the smartest decisions.
For example, there's a moment where Bryan throws out a ladder to fight a dog, only to realizes that the ladder would be useful for him to get out of the barn's hayloft and away from the dog.
The zombies in this film also felt very inventive and fresh (ironic, I know). The ways they all became an amalgamation of every person eaten by the zombie was both disgusting and awesome.
The idea of the amalgam also plays into one of the film's main themes: selfishness will be humanity's downfall. The scientists who are trying to cure this zombie virus stay holed up in the hospital and when Bryan begins to transform after bringing them what they need, they are too selfish and fearful to help him. In the end, the many (in this case, the amalgam of people) beat the few.
My biggest gripe with this film is that they introduce a black character only to kill her off immediately. I understand that the intention was probably not to play into the "black guy dies first" trope, but just because the filmmakers didn't intend it doesn't mean it didn't occur.
While I myself have not played the game, I took the time to speak to a classmate to get her thoughts on the film. She noted a few game mechanics which became plot points:
- The typewriter room is traditionally a safe room in the games.
- The voice memo Bryan leaves his girlfriend represents the notes that tend to be left by dead characters in the game.
- The hospital/tall building setting most closely resembles the second game in the franchise.
- Shotguns are usually the best weapons in the game.
As a gamer myself, I noticed how Bryan's chatty dialogue to no one felt like the way a player character speaks in a video game. My classmate told me she overall enjoyed that this film chose to tell its own separate story while still respecting the game lore.
If you're looking for a scarier version of Die Hard where everyone's incompetent, Resident Evil is just the film for you!
