Resident Evil film launches with an impressive Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Anticipation for Zach Cregger’s adaptation of Resident Evil has been sky-high as its release approaches. Known for his work on Barbarian and Weapons, Cregger has crafted some of the most notable horror films of the decade, and both cinema-goers and fans of the Resident Evil video games have been eager for him to breathe new life into the franchise with a genuinely good film. While there have been several Resident Evil movies over the years, none have truly hit the mark.

Cregger has exceeded expectations with Resident Evil, which is receiving rave reviews from critics. As of now, the film boasts a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 69 reviews, making it one of the most acclaimed movies of the year, alongside recent hits like Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother (still at 100%), The Samurai and the Prisoner (97%), and Coyote vs. Acme (96%), as well as earlier 2026 releases like The Invite (96%) and The Sheep Detectives (95%).

Jake Kleinman from an outlet described Resident Evil as a “near-perfect horror movie,” praising how effectively it captures the essence of playing a Resident Evil game. He noted, “Cregger takes his love for both the franchise and the genre and channels them into something we’ve never really seen before. Resident Evil is funny, scary, gross, and beautiful. Above all else, it captures the fight-or-flight experience of actually playing a Resident Evil game.”

Clarisse Loughrey from another outlet highlighted that the film is “far more faithful to the survival horror mechanics of its source than the earlier Milla Jovovich-led films, yet isn’t suffocated by fan service like the flop 2021 reboot Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City,” giving it a four-out-of-five-star rating. Carly Lane remarked that “Austin Abrams is a fantastic lead” and praised Cregger’s skillful blend of horror and comedy in her 8/10 review.

Cregger’s Resident Evil draws inspiration from Capcom’s long-running game series, though it doesn’t directly adapt the storyline of any specific game. (So, don’t expect to see Leon S. Kennedy taking down zombies here.) Abrams plays a medical courier who is as familiar with firearms as the average Resident Evil player. Cregger expressed a desire for a relatable protagonist, stating, “I’d rather watch a movie starring a schlub who’s, like, out of shape and has never fired a gun before!” While Abrams may not fit that description, he effectively embodies the feeling of a terrified player fleeing from a relentless zombie threat. The cast also includes Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser.

Resident Evil is set to hit theaters on September 18.

Cregger aimed to recreate the experience of playing the game for the first time.