Is Resident Evil (2026) Scary? My 8.5/10 Review

Rating: 8.5/10 ⭐️

Spoiler-light review.

The dog bursting through the barn door got me. The little girl in the trailer was scary. So was the creature rolling through the woods. Then the horn sounds while Bryan goes to investigate what happened to Maxine, and the movie creates another genuinely tense moment.

Then Austin Abrams starts swearing.

That is the trick behind Resident Evil: it scares you just long enough for Abrams’ reaction to make the fear funny. The film is more entertaining than frightening, but that balance worked for me. I enjoyed it enough to give it an 8.5/10.

Resident Evil is scary in bursts

The film has real jump scares, even if it is not interested in sustaining dread for very long.

The dog bursting through the barn door is an effective surprise because the scene gives you just enough time to wonder what is happening. The little girl in the trailer creates a different kind of unease, while the creature rolling through the woods feels strange before it becomes frightening.

The horn is perhaps the best example of the film’s approach. Bryan goes to investigate what happened to Maxine even though he clearly does not understand what he is walking into. The sound creates tension, but the movie never lets that tension become completely oppressive.

There is always a moment when Abrams’ Bryan reacts like an ordinary person who has been dropped into a nightmare without receiving any useful instructions.

Austin Abrams turns panic into comedy

Abrams is the reason the film never becomes too heavy.

Bryan is not a confident action hero. He is confused, frightened and constantly trying to understand the rules of the situation. His response to almost everything is a stream of panicked “fucks,” and the repetition becomes hilarious.

Those reactions act like a pressure-release valve. The dog can still make you jump, but Bryan’s response gives you permission to laugh instead of sitting in fear. The same thing happens after the trailer scene, the creature in the woods and the horn.

This is also why the film feels accessible. Bryan behaves less like a horror protagonist who knows how to survive and more like a player who has just entered a Resident Evil game for the first time. He is looking for answers, trying to work out what matters and making decisions without enough information.

Several popular reviews have identified the same quality in Abrams’ performance, describing Bryan as an audience surrogate and a deliberately awkward stand-in for the player. AP News and Game Informer both highlight how his panic and mistakes make the film feel like a playable experience.

The Resident Evil nods are in the rules

The film’s best Resident Evil references are not only familiar objects. They are the game’s rules appearing inside the movie.

The locked doors are a good example. The film understands how funny it is when every ordinary solution fails because the correct key, item or mechanism has not been found yet. You can see something that should open, try to force the situation forward and still be told, essentially, “not yet.”

There are also nods involving healing items, ammunition, weapons and the general rhythm of moving from one location to another while searching for the next useful object. These details reflect the design language of the games, particularly the resource-management and puzzle-solving ideas that director Zach Cregger has discussed in interviews.

For more context on the franchise’s wider screen and game connections, see my guide to what to watch or play before Resident Evil.

The comedy lowers the fear

The same quality that makes the film enjoyable may disappoint viewers looking for sustained horror.

The movie gives you scary moments, but Abrams’ reactions quickly turn them into shared jokes. You do not remain trapped inside the fear for long. You jump, hear Bryan swear, and start enjoying the situation.

That makes Resident Evil closer to a survival-horror ride than a relentless nightmare. It is very different from something like Obsession, where the discomfort is the point. Resident Evil wants you to feel the danger, recognise the game references and have fun with the panic.

For a sharper contrast, see my review of Obsession.

For me, the trade-off worked. I did not leave the film frightened. I left entertained.

Should you watch Resident Evil (2026)?

Yes, if you want a horror movie with a strong comic streak and clear affection for the games.

Do not expect the scariest Resident Evil experience. Expect a film that delivers a few effective scares, then lets Austin Abrams react to them in the funniest possible way. The game references are enjoyable because they come through the movie’s mechanics: the locked doors, the objects, the weapons and the sense that every room contains a problem waiting to be solved.

The dog, the trailer, the creature in the woods and the horn all do their jobs. Then Bryan starts swearing, the tension breaks and you can enjoy being frightened.

That timing is worth an 8.5/10.