Zach Cregger's Resident Evil First Reactions Are In

Published Sep 16, 2026, 3:53 AM EDT

Rianna is the Movie News Editor for ScreenRant. After earning her BA in Film Studies, she began her career as an entertainment writer, contributing to several publications before joining ScreenRant. Her dissertation on the impact of streaming on traditional cinema sharpened her focus on the ever-evolving world of film and media. With 10 years in the industry, Rianna continues to cover the stories she loves while also advocating for awareness and representation of rare disabilities, such as Moebius Syndrome, which she lives with.

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Zach Cregger's Resident Evil is generating fear and reviews.

Early screenings of Resident Evil have finally arrived, and the long-awaited video game adaptation is facing judgment from critics. Cregger is an actor, comedian, and filmmaker known for Barbarian and Weapons. Resident Evil will be released on September 18 and focuses on a whole new story set during the Raccoon City T-virus outbreak, with Austin Abrams in the leading role. Many fans echoed similar negative sentiments about movie adaptations of the game, but Cregger's movie could finally defy the odds.

Collider's Perri Nemiroff stated that Cregger's adaptation of Resident Evil is "outstanding," and continued by adding that it is "one of the best video game adaptations I’ve ever seen, and also one of the best horror comedies I’ve ever seen. Cannot believe how many hilarious beats this movie has without ever diminishing the stakes or sheer terror of the situation."

Erik Davis shared his thoughts on X and shared a similar sentiment to Nemiroff by saying, "Zach Cregger’s #ResidentEvil absolutely rocks! Less an adaptation of a game and more a movie that makes you feel like you’re playing one. From creepy first-person sequences to chaotic monster fights, the film keeps scaling up the intensity and never really lets you catch your breath. Very funny, definitely bloody, with an ending you’ll be talking about afterwards."

Founder of Latino Review, Kellvin Chavez, also had an extremely positive experience watching Cregger's adaptation of the long-running horror game franchise and stated, "#ResidentEvil has its foot on the gas from the opening scene and NEVER hits the brakes. Zach Cregger delivers relentless suspense, gloriously gory action, and some seriously twisted, Thing-esque creature designs. Pure SURVIVAL HORROR and easily the best Resident Evil movie yet. Austin Abrams is terrific."

Critic Adam Hlaváč is also a fan of Cregger's Resident Evil and posted on X stating: "95 minutes of pure adrenaline. #ResidentEvil was fantastic, top to bottom. It’s stripped down, simplified, but executed with precision and with moments that reminded me of Carpenter’s The Thing. Austin Abrams is so great! Yeah, I need to see this again immediately."