Resident Evil
Resident Evil
Starring Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser
Directed by Zach Cregger
Bryan (Austin Abrams) is a medical courier who's having issues with his newly pregnant girlfriend, but instead of going home to talk about it, he takes a job that doubles the pay by transporting something in a medical bag to Racoon City hospital on a dark and snowy night. His car, unprepared for the weather, fishtails on the long, desolate roads when he hits a woman. Although she seems alive, she acts in weird ways that ultimately results in Bryan seeking refuge in a seemingly abandoned country home. As the night drags on, Bryan is faced with unspeakable horrors and he sets out to accomplish his goal.
While fans of the game were upset about the lack of characters they know, Cregger managed to make the most video game accurate movie in a long time, featuring numerous references to the games and Easter eggs that come off as natural to the world of the movie as opposed to being tossed in haphazardly. Instead of Paul W.S. Anderson's action-heavy, CGI-laden, Milla Jovovich-led six-film franchise, he makes "Resident Evil" seem contained, relegated to one night of unmitigated horror for a character who has no survival or action skills, giving us, the viewers, someone to really root for as opposed to a hardened, action-heavy hero who we have no doubt will make it out alive.
The movie switches focus from first person to third person numerous times, like how the games themselves have been either first or third person perspectives. There's dwindling supplies (such as Bryan's lack of ammo), him searching through desk drawers, and a mission-based structure where he has to accomplish a series of increasingly impossible goals that envelop the concept of the horror survival game experience. You feel like you're watching an elongated cut scene from a "Resident Evil" movie, and cinematically it's beautiful.
The movie takes place over the span of one long night, so there's no sunshine to make it less terrifying, but rather it feels like a night in hell. Bryan first faces the strange woman he hits, but then comes across even more terrifying creatures as he makes his way to Racoon City, and while it's CGI-heavy, it's not distracting. The cinematography is exquisite, with the scene in the trailer of the woman running solo through the snow and countless bodies falling from the rooftops being two of the best, but there's even more hidden gems in the movie.
Austin Abrams is quickly becoming a horror favorite, making a name for himself first as the douchebag Ron in "The Walking Dead" and then being the scene-stealer in last year's Cregger-led "Weapons," and will continue that trend in the upcoming "Whalefall" where he becomes a modern-day Jonah, trapped in the belly of a whale. Here, he allows his comedic prowess to come to full effect, as he comes across as a lovable but aloof fool who has a heart of gold and wants to do right by everyone else. He has a job to do, and he won't stop until it's completed - even if it entails running from crazed women, half-human children and all other kinds of horrible creatures. He doesn't act like a superhero, or even an action star, but relies on his video game playing prowess to make it through the night, despite his own admission that he sucks at shooting (which is kinda wobbly, as sometimes he gets headshots with one hit, but other times can't shoot a lock in front of him). He's constantly on edge, but also makes light of the situation he's in, and is both a charming and rootable protagonist. The movie literally rises and falls on his performance, as every other character is less than supporting, and he pulls it off with pure excellence.
While fans of the game were upset "Resident Evil" didn't feature any of their beloved characters, Zach Cregger managed to make a "Resident Evil" movie that still pays homage to the games, and I wouldn't be surprised if the games will include Bryan in future games.
The Score: A+
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