New Look at ‘Resident Evil’ Promises a Non-Stop Thrill Ride

It’s hard not to be excited about a video game adaptation like the upcoming Resident Evil movie. The movie is directed by horror auteur Zach Cregger, who has spent the last few years making a name for himself with projects such as Barbarian and Weapons, the latter of which received an Academy Award. It’s rare for a filmmaker with a distinct identity to be given the keys to a major horror IP, which makes this movie so exciting. Set to release in September, the upcoming adventure may not be adapting any specific storyline from the games, but it will be staying true to all the horror elements and action-packed nature of the source material.

Empire Magazine provided coverage on the upcoming Resident Evil movie, getting exciting story details from Zach Cregger as well as new information about what to expect from the film. In the interview, Cregger discussed how he was able to have plenty of creative freedom while making the movie. The filmmaker didn’t have any obligation to one specific storyline, but instead focused on trying to capture what it felt like to live in the world of Resident Evil, and Raccoon City specifically. That focus is realized through Austin Abrams’ performance as protagonist Bryan. Empire also released a new image from the film, featuring Abrams’ character sitting in a vehicle that also has a zombie inside of it:

“They were kind enough to hear me out and let me run with it. It’s really a Zach Cregger movie that just happens to be a Resident Evil movie. The concept here is that we’re following an idiot. Not that he’s stupid, but he’s not your typical game character, with no combat skills whatsoever and completely inept at survival. Bryan is very much an everyman who happens to be burdened with this kind of sacred mission that’s going to take him into the heart of everything. It’s kind of like Frodo going into Mordor.”

New Look at ‘Resident Evil’ Promises a Non-Stop Thrill Ride — Austin Abrams in ‘Resident Evil’

Reports from earlier in the year went into detail about test screenings that were held for Resident Evil, with the movie described as an action-packed roller-coaster ride from beginning to end. Perhaps the most enticing aspect was one reaction that compared the film to Mad Max: Fury Road, saying that it is a similarly structured movie that also happens to be in the horror genre. Cregger’s comments to Empire about the movie also suggest as much, with the director describing the experience as a gauntlet:

“Things pop off about five minutes in, and it basically stays like that until the end. What I love about the games is that you move from set-piece to set-piece. Every location has a unique challenge. So again, I’m borrowing from the games directly in that rhythm, where you’re just running through a gauntlet.”

Zach Cregger has made a name for himself by ensuring that his identity and signature style can be felt no matter what movie he is directing, and Resident Evil seems to continue that trend. Despite not having recognizable characters like other video game adaptations do, Resident Evil will capture the essence of the games in one horrifying and action-packed movie.