The first trailer for the Resident Evil movie reboot radically breaks with the overloaded lore of its predecessors and instead focuses on pure, claustrophobic survival horror.
After years of disappointment with uninspired reboots and failed series experiments, director Zach Cregger (Barbarian) now delivers the antithesis. The teaser focuses almost exclusively on the protagonist Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, who desperately tries to contact the outside world. This isn't an action-packed spectacle, but rather psychological stress.
The trailer begins unusually quietly. We see Bryan seeking shelter in a remote house after his car breaks down. The sound design dominates: the creaking of a door, the mechanical dialing of a broken phone, the desperate voice message to his girlfriend. This slow pace is the material's greatest strength.
Cregger seems to have understood that resident evil At its core, it doesn't rely on global conspiracies, but rather on the fear of the individual in a hopeless situation. When the scene finally descends into bloody chaos, the preceding build-up of tension makes it significantly more intense than the CGI battles of the Anderson era.
Atmosphere instead of action kitsch
The decision to downplay the games' complex mythology is bold. Bryan isn't a super-soldier like Chris Redfield or Leon S. Kennedy. He's a courier. This shift in perspective provides the necessary sense of vulnerability that gave the early games their identity. The fact that cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (Prometheus) is responsible for the visuals is evident in every shot. The snow-covered streets and gritty aesthetic immediately elevate the film visually above the level of a direct-to-streaming production. The goal is clear: it's about capturing the games' vibe, not ticking off lore checklists.
We're probably not going to get a film that explains exactly how the T-virus mutated. We're going to get a film that shows us what it feels like to fight for survival in a world full of mutants. No Easter egg hunt, just a straightforward survival trip.
The first test screenings confirm this impression. The focus is on stress and fear, which is exactly the right correction after the recent cinematic disasters. If Cregger maintains the pace of Barbarian, we can expect a horror trip in September that finally deserves the Resident Evil name again.
This reboot has the potential to end Resident Evil fans' trauma. It won't be an epic, but an intense horror experience. Those hoping for fan service and familiar faces will be disappointed. Anyone wanting horror should mark September 17th on their calendar.
It looks promising; what's more important to me is that the atmosphere is captured. I don't need the game name-dropping or obvious cosplay adaptations of Anderson; that's just embarrassing.
Okay xD
Looks like another terror film. And theoretically, it appeals to me, but it could be anything.
A guy runs around alone, creepy noises here, creaking there, a few steps in the dark here, stumbling through the empty store with a flashlight there… lots of nothing and then total escalation, terror, unpleasant.
It has nothing in common with Resident Evil for me.
I also liked all the Resident Evil movies with Jovovich, and the last one was cool too… I have no idea why everyone complains about them. I enjoyed watching them all xD
You have really exceptional taste in Resident Evil 6 and Jovovich films. I can't get into either of them; from my point of view, they have nothing to do with Resident Evil, but that's okay. Maybe that's also the reason why the IP has existed for so long—because it's so adaptable.
Zach Cregger & Alex Garland, who are both currently working on game adaptations for the big screen, are current guarantors of audiovisual & narrative first class in film & cinema.
Cregger has delivered some of the best horror films in recent years, so I have little to no doubt that the Resident Evil adaptation can be a hit.