The Resident Evil franchise has a rich and storied history. While the collection of video games, live-action movies, and computer-generated imagery (CGI) movies number well into the dozens now, the entire universe of characters and conspiracies started out way back in 1996. Originally released as ‘Biohazard’ in its native Japan, the developers had to change the name for the American release because of some existing naming rights conflicts. The name ‘Resident Evil’ was actually a result of an internal company contest. That original Resident Evil game, released on PlayStation, is credited with inventing an all-new genre called “survival horror”. That is the best way to also describe the newly released live-action film, titled simply ‘Resident Evil’.

If you are uninitiated, I would recommend at least a few basic building blocks. First off, while there are prequels and even more detailed back history to learn, you really just need to know that the entire Resident Evil universe revolves around a place called Raccoon City. Central to Raccoon City’s entire municipal government is a sprawling tech and pharmaceutical company called Umbrella Corporation. Umbrella Corp. provides private support for all the city’s workings and, in return, has the local authorities in its pocket. Over the years, Umbrella Corp. has developed and refined several variations of viruses, most notably the T-Virus, but there are other strains mentioned throughout the movies and games. The viruses all do crazy things to humans and other living creatures. The most mundane effect is something akin to a zombie, but the abominations get altogether gruesome, grotesque, and generally off-putting rather quickly. Start with the basic motive of a company like this wanting to cover up everything they do, sprinkle in a corrupt politician here and a disgruntled researcher there, and you essentially have the recipe for every permutation in this franchise for the last 30 years. While the games can vary from creepy and intimate haunted house exploration to action-oriented shooters, the movies are almost all shoot-em-up action featuring explosions almost as big as the plot holes.

It almost sounds as if I’m criticizing, but I swear I’m not. I’m a huge fan of the series overall and really enjoy the movies for the entertaining guilty pleasure that they are. I mean, the live-action movies – six of which star Milla Jovovich and are directed by her husband – garner an average Rotten Tomatoes score of around 28%. But they made six of them over fourteen years. They must have been really passionate about the projects. And I am a firm believer that something doesn’t have to be “good” to be fun.

It’s all of these things – the deep, rich history, the countless installments exploring every combination of characters and virus strains, and the reputation for being mindless entertainment – that make the new Resident Evil film starring Austin Abrams such an incredibly easy-to-enjoy contradiction. Consider this your spoiler alert!

I went and saw Resident Evil opening night with some other dads. About half of us were familiar with the franchise – games, movies, or otherwise – and the other half were walking in completely fresh. The first indicator that they did such a great job with the film is that there was unanimous enjoyment and enthusiasm afterward. Refrains of “That was awesome!”, “I loved that!”, and “They did such a good job!” were echoed by all.

This was evidenced by the film’s healthy and continuous sprinkling of insider easter eggs throughout the duration. Unassailable padlocks, random typewriters, and a desperate inventory of ammunition confounded main character Bryan all along his downward spiral into the madness of his evening. All of these are hallmarks of the original games and what made playing them so nerve-racking. You’d have to survive half a zombie-infested mansion with 3 bullets in a revolver only to find a box of bullets that were meant for a shotgun you hadn’t yet discovered.

As the monsters were slowly revealed, their newer, nastier counterparts became progressively more unhinged. In fact, one of the recurring positive remarks afterward revolved around the film’s pacing and how well it managed a gradual climb into graphic absurdity that didn’t feel rushed or cumbersome at all.

Another thing that really set this installment apart from its predecessors was the main character’s complete lack of tactical wherewithal. He wasn’t a cop. He wasn’t some super soldier like so many of the mainstays from the original films. He’s just some poor schmuck who’s stuck in the middle of a really personal, troubling episode with his girlfriend. He’s hoping to make one last medical-courier delivery for the night so that he can get home to her and patch things up. Unfortunately for him, all hell breaks loose, and his character is used by the filmmakers to show us the perfect string of events unfold over one terrible night.

Austin Abrams plays the part brilliantly. He’s so good at being just a shmo. He’s kind of unlikable, and he reacts to the unthinkable imagery in the most unflattering, fearful, and relatable ways possible. His frantic running and screaming like a total weenie were masterful – and hilarious! That was the one thing that took me by complete and utter surprise – this movie is genuinely and consistently effortlessly funny. I don’t think I’ve seen humor used at all in any of the other installments. The few other living characters he encounters only add to the schtick. I was laughing a lot throughout.

Despite the absolutely horrendous visuals and copious amounts of gore – this movie was an utter delight. There was just so much to appreciate as an avid fan or otherwise, and I think that’s because overall it’s just a really good film. Here’s another contradiction to the previously mentioned Milla Jovovich movies – this one is sitting at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, for crying out loud – so it’s not just me – critics are very pleased. It was able to achieve something the others just couldn’t: it was good and fun. You don’t have to choose anymore! The only problem now is what they do with such a hit on their hands. Today’s moviegoers would expect this to be the beginning of a completely rebooted universe. I would love nothing more, but something tells me we’re going to have to settle for this being one that stands on its own. But I wouldn’t say no to a sequel or two. A good trilogy – unlike the diabolical abominations of Raccoon City - never hurt nobody.

Matt Hebert is an engineer and self-published author. His dopamine-fueled creative pursuits have spanned from chicken keeping, sand sculpture, acting, and public speaking, but writing is nearest and dearest to his heart. He lives in Bellevue with his wife and two daughters. You can find him on Instagram at @jerkofalltradeshebert or email him at matt.hebert.books@gmail.com

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