The Funhouse of Terror That Is RESIDENT EVIL

 

From the mind of Zach Cregger (Weapons) comes this new adaptation of the classic videogame, and the result is a lean, (95 minute) horror gem that is a funhouse ride in the best sense.

Bryan (Austin Abrams) is a courier of medical organs who is given an important delivery to the city of Raccoon one snowy night when he runs into an apparent accident, and that’s only the beginning of a series of mysterious, gruesome encounters that escalate in horrific scope.  Forced to run for his life, he arrives at the city limits and as he approaches the hospital, he witnesses stark evidence of a massive, engulfing event that threatens the city’s residents and has terrifying, biological implications which push Austin’s sanity and survival to the brink and point to an apocalyptic scenario.

Having Bryan as our protagonist is clever by turning the audience’s attention to him as he becomes the main point of view. Abrams’ convincing performance as a desperate, bumbling, and at times resourceful everyman keeps things grounded and believable.  Having a mostly unknown cast (except for a brief appearance by Paul Walter Hauser) helps keep things focused on the narrative. 

Always engaging, the story is extremely well-paced and edited for maximum impact. The film has a lean musical score and relies on deliberate, tension building alternating between jump scare moments.  Often utilizing practical effects, while there is no doubt that the depicted monstrosities have been inspired by past creatures from Alien, The Thing, and Stranger Things, Creggar goes a step further with unimaginable body horror. 

Audiences looking to be scared silly will not be disappointed as the film delivers the goods. Save for an ending that may divide audiences, this is a grand, frightful time that promises to continue in the future.  

**** of ***** stars