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Zach Cregger’s 2026 Resident Evil film does not retell a single game’s plot, and Senior Streaming Writer Alix Blackburn argues that this is part of why it still feels like the franchise. In a Tom’s Guide opinion piece published September 18, 2026, she makes the case that an original protagonist and story can capture how it feels to play a survival-horror game, even when the film is not a faithful adaptation of any one entry. The argument is personal criticism, not a measured verdict from audiences or critics, but its reasoning is specific enough to test against the film.
What the film is about
The movie is set in the present day during a heavy snowstorm. Austin Abrams plays Bryan, a medical courier who accepts extra pay to rush an important medical package to Raccoon City. According to Blackburn’s account, the film has an original story and an original protagonist. It does not feature the games’ iconic characters, and it is not set in the rainy 1998 of the games.
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Resident Evil Requiem Amazon Exclusive Edition - PlayStation 5 | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition - PlayStation 5 | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Resident Evil 2 - PlayStation 5 | $15.19 | Buy on Amazon |
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Resident Evil 3 - PlayStation 5 | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Resident Evil 4 - PS5 | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
That choice is the reason the film has drawn criticism. Blackburn describes some fans as unhappy that it departs from a plot-for-plot adaptation. She presents this as an observation from her own reading of the reaction, not as results from audience research, so treat the scale of the backlash as unmeasured.
Bryan as a stand-in for the player
Blackburn’s central point is that Bryan works as a player surrogate. He is not a trained fighter or a franchise veteran, so the audience learns the danger at the same pace he does. In the games, that learning comes from play itself. In the film, Blackburn says it comes from the same kinds of actions a player performs:
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- Grace Ashcroft, an FBI intelligence analyst who is introverted and easily scared, representing a new type of character for the Resident Evil series. Grace will experience horror from the same perspective as the player as she learns to overcome her fears throughout the course of the story.
- For the first time ever in Resident Evil history, players will be able to freely switch between both first- and third-person perspectives throughout the game.
- An Anniversary to Remember: With March 2026 marking the Resident Evil series’ 30-year anniversary, Resident Evil Requiem marks its own milestone in the franchise.
- Pre-orders for Resident Evil Requiem are now open, with the bonus of Grace’s costume: Apocalypse. Please note that the picture weapon does not come with the costume, but it can be obtained in-game.
- facing threats while carrying out a simple job
- upgrading weapons
- finding ammunition and managing scarce supplies
- moving between locations as the situation escalates
She argues that this loop is what gives the film its survival-horror core, even without a game’s characters or setting.
The background stories the film made her notice
The most distinctive part of the piece is how the film sent Blackburn back to the games. The series often tells part of its story through notes, recordings, abandoned rooms, and personal belongings. These details imply lives that run parallel to the protagonists’ stories, and the player only glimpses them. Blackburn says Bryan feels like one of those people: someone a player might encounter indirectly, through traces left behind rather than through a main-character arc.
Rank #2
- FEAR COMES HOME -- Fear, combat, exploration, and item management: these are the four pillars of survival horror, a genre that has never been more masterfully executed than in the gameplay of Resident Evil. The horror continues in the ground-breaking Resident Evil 7. Step into the new Isolated View and experience true survival horror in a world created by the all-new RE Engine.
- DEEP IN THE BAYOU - When Ethan Winters opened his inbox, the last thing he expected was to find an email from his wife; she had been missing for three years. The message was simple: "Come get me," and an address in Louisiana. This leads Ethan to a decrepit mansion in the heart of the bayou. The place has a seriously creepy vibe, but Ethan continues his search – until a stranger attacks him and knocks him unconscious. Ethan has no idea what awaits him when he wakes up...for he is now in the clutches of the Baker family.
- A NEW PERSPECTIVE -- In RESIDENT EVIL 7, we're changing the way you interact with the world. For this next major entry in the series, play from a first-person point of view, dramatically increasing your ability to become fully absorbed in the world we have created.
- NEW FOR PLAYSTATION5 – Upgraded features new to the PlayStation5 version of the game include a higher frame rate, 3D audio, added ray tracing, and engaging DualSense support for Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.
That framing matters for a new story. An original protagonist can borrow the games’ method of storytelling, placing the audience in the position of someone who finds evidence of other people’s lives. It also explains why Blackburn values the film’s approach even though it does not follow an established plotline.
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Recognizable details: Raccoon City, Easter eggs, and camera angles
Blackburn points to several elements that connect the film to the games’ look and feel:
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- TERRIFYING ZOMBIES WAITING AROUND EVERY CORNER -- Driven by insatiable hunger, these creatures act on instinct, gnashing their teeth, ripping at flesh, and devouring their victims. The new immersive camera lets you feel their fangs as they sink into your flesh.
- RACCOON CITY, REBUILT IN INTRICATE DETAIL -- The characters, environments, and story have all been rebuilt from the ground up to create a terrifying world that feels both nostalgic and new.
- NEW FOR PLAYSTATION5 – Upgraded features new to the PlayStation5 version of the game include a higher frame rate, 3D audio, added ray tracing, and engaging DualSense support for Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.
- a journey into Raccoon City, the franchise’s signature location
- Easter eggs that reward long-time players
- first-person and over-the-shoulder perspectives that recall how the games are played
These are the details she credits for the film’s game-like atmosphere, and they are the basis for her positive response.
Where the praise is qualified
The endorsement is not unconditional. Blackburn says the film’s humor sometimes undercuts its horror, pulling tension out of scenes that need it. She also considers the third act the weakest section of the film. Both points are her judgments as a reviewer, and they are the places where the film’s approach is most likely to frustrate viewers who come for pure dread.
Rank #4
- CLASSIC RESIDENT EVIL GAMEPLAY -- Overcome chilling encounters in a relentless fight for survival that ratchets up the intensity through nail-biting exploration and gripping puzzle-solving.
- EXPLORE RACCOON CITY FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE -- Get even closer to the action with an over-the-shoulder camera and updated control scheme, drawing you into every bloodcurdling encounter.
- SURVIVE TOGETHER IN THE MULTIPLAYER MODE -- Bring up to four friends into the carnage with Resident Evil Resistance, a multiplayer survival horror experience included in the Resident Evil 3 package. Available as a PlayStation 4 title compatible on all PlayStation 5 devices. Includes code necessary for redemption, requires additional download not on disc.
- NEW FOR PLAYSTATION5 – Upgraded features new to the PlayStation5 version of the game include a higher frame rate, 3D audio, added ray tracing, and engaging DualSense support for Haptic Feedback and Adaptive Triggers.
Two ways to adapt Resident Evil
Blackburn compares the film with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021), which she describes as a more faithful adaptation and which she judges negatively. That judgment is her opinion. The table below sets the two approaches side by side using only what her article reports. Where it says nothing on a point, the table says so.
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| Comparison point | Faithful adaptation (Welcome to Raccoon City, 2021) | Original story (Cregger’s 2026 film) |
|---|---|---|
| Plot fidelity | Described as a more faithful adaptation | Original story, not plot-for-plot |
| Established characters | Not stated in the article | Does not feature the games’ iconic characters |
| Setting | Not stated in the article | Modern-day snowstorm; not set in the games’ rainy 1998 |
| Feels like playing the games | Not stated in the article | Yes, per the author: upgrading, scavenging, and moving between locations |
| Perspective beyond the protagonists | Not stated in the article | Yes, per the author: Bryan resembles someone glimpsed through environmental clues |
Blackburn favors the second approach for this film. She does not claim it is superior in general, and the article is a single critic’s view rather than a consensus.
Best Value
- Reawaken a Classic – Resident Evil 4 preserves the essence of the original game, now reconstructed using Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine to deliver realistic visuals and additional narrative depth to the iconic story that was not possible at the time of the original release.
- Modernized Gameplay – The team from 2019’s Resident Evil 2 returns to build upon the series’ modern approach to survival horror. Engage in frenzied combat with the Ganados villagers, explore a European village gripped by madness, and solve puzzles to access new areas and collect useful items for Leon and Ashley’s constant struggle to survive.
- Overwhelming Hordes – Face hordes of rabid enemies that threaten to overwhelm Leon with even more diverse methods of attack than in the original release.
- Survive on a Knife’s Edge – Years of intense training have taught Leon new ways to use his knife, helping to even the odds against the unrelenting onslaught of enemies. By parrying enemy attacks, you can avoid debilitating damage and evade lunging enemies seeking to grab Leon and hold him in place. Make smart use of scavenged knives to deliver precise finishing moves on vulnerable enemies, and even use the element of surprise to quietly dispatch unsuspecting foes before they break.
- Survive on a Knife’s Edge – Years of intense training have taught Leon new ways to use his knife, helping to even the odds against the unrelenting onslaught of enemies. By parrying enemy attacks, you can avoid debilitating damage and evade lunging enemies seeking to grab Leon and hold him in place. Make smart use of scavenged knives to deliver precise finishing moves on vulnerable enemies, and even use the element of surprise to quietly dispatch unsuspecting foes before they break.
Why the author thinks it works
Blackburn’s conclusion is that the film shows original ideas can succeed inside a beloved franchise. In her words: “Resident Evil ended up proving that original ideas in a beloved franchise can work.” She also calls the film one of the best video game movies, which is an opinion rather than a ranking, award, or consensus finding.
Availability at publication
When Tom’s Guide published the article on September 18, 2026, the film was in theaters. The article does not establish current showtimes, ticketing, streaming availability, or a DVD or Blu-ray release date. Check a current listing before planning a viewing, since those details can change after publication.
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