The era of genuinely good video game movies has arrived, and the latest Resident Evil film is leading the charge, not through faithful recreations of iconic characters, but through the sheer, unadulterated incompetence of its protagonist, Bryan.
This is a spoiler-filled examination of the film, so proceed with caution.
Director Zach Cregger made a crucial decision by leaving the game's established heroes out of the film. Bryan is no Leon S. Kennedy or Chris Redfield; he's a tired delivery driver on his last job, a flawed everyman thrust into a zombie apocalypse. This grounding makes the film a survival horror experience that elicits laughter not from gags, but from the relatable absurdity of Bryan's dire situation and his consistent fumbles.
Bryan's mistakes are numerous and, for the audience, incredibly endearing:
- He lies about having tire chains to make quick money, endangering the world.
- He is distracted by his phone while driving on an icy road, causing his first accident.
- He wastes ammunition by shooting his own vehicle after firing at a t-Virus victim.
- He drops a crucial ladder, leading to a painful fall.
- He taunts a dog that turns out to be a mutant.
- He expends precious ammo on a padlock that is impervious to shotgun blasts.
- He totals a stolen car almost immediately by attempting to ram a gate.
- He inexplicably tries to pick up a mutated child after witnessing significant horror.
- He shoots the ground near his feet instead of the gestalt t-Virus mutant.
- He repeatedly fails to properly load his firearm and mishandles it once loaded.
- He accidentally shoots an Umbrella employee instead of saving him.
- Upon reaching the Raccoon City hospital, he gives up due to non-functional elevators.
- Despite being directed to use the stairs, his laziness leads him to an elevator, which predictably ends poorly.
Cregger himself admitted that test screenings required him to tone down the humor because audiences found the film too funny. Yet, even with a more restrained comedic approach, the film maintains a pervasive sense of amusement derived from Bryan's predicaments. This isn't a comedy-horror; it's a genuine horror film, but Bryan's ineptitude injects a unique levity.
While Bryan eventually transforms into a capable survivor, mastering feats like surviving a collapsing lift and utilizing mutant acid, this evolution feels in keeping with the film's narrative arc. It mirrors the experience of playing a Resident Evil game, where initial panic and fumbling eventually give way to growing confidence and skill. The film successfully captures the player's journey from a terrified novice to a hardened survivor.
This relatable portrayal of a player navigating a terrifying scenario makes Resident Evil more authentic than a direct adaptation might have been. By exploring a novel approach, the film provides a canny recreation of the core Resident Evil experience. Even for viewers unfamiliar with the games, it stands as a compelling and enjoyable horror movie.