Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ Just Locked In an Amazing Rotten Tomatoes Score, and Critics Can’t Stop Raving
Video game adaptations have historically struggled to win over critics, and the ‘Resident Evil‘ franchise in particular has carried that reputation for decades. Between forgettable theatrical entries and a Netflix series that got canceled after just one season, the beloved Capcom survival horror series has spent years searching for a screen version that actually lives up to the source material.
That search appears to have finally paid off. Zach Cregger, the filmmaker behind ‘Barbarian’ and the Oscar-winning ‘Weapons,’ took on the franchise for the first time, describing the project as a love letter to the games and aiming to recreate the exhilarating dread of pressing forward with dwindling resources and no idea what’s waiting in the shadows. Austin Abrams leads the film as Bryan, a medical courier thrown into a nightmare he’s woefully unprepared for.
That ambition is now reflected in the numbers. ‘Resident Evil’ has locked in a 98 percent Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 56 reviews, an extraordinary result for a franchise that has never come close to that level of critical acclaim on the big screen before.
Critics have been effusive in their praise since the first reactions started rolling out. Tomatometer-approved critic EJ Moreno called the film “a true horror blockbuster,” writing that “Zach Cregger goes bigger, scarier, and at his most fun.” That kind of enthusiasm has echoed across the board, with reviewers repeatedly pointing to the film’s blend of relentless tension, gory creature effects and Cregger’s signature dark humor.
Several reviews have drawn comparisons to John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing,’ pointing to the film’s body horror and creature design as some of its strongest elements. Critics have also praised how the movie captures the actual feeling of playing a ‘Resident Evil’ game, with first-person sequences and mounting dread that mirror the survival horror experience rather than simply recreating familiar story beats from the franchise.
The first trailer for Zach Cregger's ‘RESIDENT EVIL’ has been released.
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 30, 2026
In theaters on September 18. pic.twitter.com/eeVCAGzy6M
Not every reaction has been entirely uncritical, with some reviewers noting the film leans more comedic than a purist adaptation might expect, and a few have even argued it ranks as one of Cregger’s weaker directorial efforts purely by the high bar his previous films set. Even so, the consensus among critics remains overwhelmingly positive, with many calling it the best video game movie ever made regardless of any minor reservations.
With ‘Resident Evil’ set to open in theaters on September 18, this critical reception puts serious pressure on a franchise that has struggled for years to translate its gaming success into cinematic acclaim. If audience reactions match what critics are saying, Cregger may have just delivered the ‘Resident Evil’ adaptation fans have been waiting decades for.
What do you think of Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ earning a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes?
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