Resident Evil reboot gets strong early reactions ahead of global release

MUMBAI: Raccoon City is once again having a very bad day, but this time early viewers seem to be enjoying the chaos.

Sony’s latest reimagining of Resident Evil has made its world premiere at The United Theater in Los Angeles, with early social media reactions arriving ahead of the film’s global theatrical release on September 18. Full reviews were embargoed until 9 AM PT on September 16, while the film is also set to screen at Fantastic Fest on September 17.

Directed by Zach Cregger, known for Weapons and Barbarian, the new Resident Evil heads back to Raccoon City for yet another viral nightmare. The outbreak once again turns people into monsters, but the story follows an original protagonist rather than leaning on the familiar characters from the video-game franchise.

Austin Abrams stars as a medical courier who finds himself caught in the middle of the outbreak and forced into a fight for survival. The cast also features Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser.

The film marks Sony’s second attempt to reboot the Resident Evil movie franchise. The first came in 2021 with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, directed by Johannes Roberts and starring Kaya Scodelario, Hannah John-Kamen, Robbie Amell and Tom Hopper. That film failed to make much of an impact commercially or critically, according to the source material.

The franchise has already had plenty of lives on screen. The original Milla Jovovich-led movie series began in 2002 and produced six films over 14 years Resident Evil (2002), Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016).

The film property also took a hit outside cinemas when Netflix cancelled its Resident Evil television series after one season in 2022.

Cregger’s new version has not been without questions from fans, particularly over its decision not to use familiar game characters. The filmmaker has also revealed that test screenings prompted changes to the film, including the removal of a number of jokes.

For now, however, the early word from viewers has been largely positive, giving Sony’s latest attempt at resurrecting the franchise a promising start before critics’ full reviews arrive.

The timing leaves Resident Evil with a familiar mission: survive the outbreak, dodge the monsters and, perhaps most importantly, convince audiences that this trip back to Raccoon City still has some bite.