New Resident Evil hits the right notes with horror, but overdoes the humor

The new film in the Resident Evil franchise, inspired by Capcom games, arrives in theaters with a different proposal: instead of reproducing characters and known phases without personality, bet on its own plot of distressing and unexpected survival. The production, directed by Zach Cregger, known for "Brutal Nights" and "Evil Hour", manages to create good scenes of horror and suspense, but sins by the excess of humor in some moments.

The film follows Bryan (Austin Abrams), a boy who needs to make a delivery in Racoon City. Without any help from the outside world, he needs to fight for his life, at the same time as he needs to make his surrender and understand what’s going on around him, before it’s too late.

Own plot with game elements

The reboot avoids the easiest way to recycle known characters and phases. Instead, it develops an original story that still has recognizable elements of the game series. These elements are not simple "perfumery" and have a real function in the story, contributing to the immersion of the spectator.

The main responsible for the good result is Zach Cregger. The director shows that he knows how to create good scenes of horror and suspense, which catch the viewer by surprise when dangers arise in unexpected ways, providing good scares. In addition, Cregger develops well the feeling of fear and discomfort that his protagonist feels when he sees himself totally alone and isolated in front of deadly and unpredictable enemies. Only this climate of insecurity that the director conveys to the public surpasses all other versions of the games made previously.

Faithful Transposition of Games

Another positive point of the film is that Cregger directs some scenes that give the real feeling that the viewer is facing a real transposition of the games to the cinema. Even without having to count on striking characters from the Capcom franchise, you can notice the concern of making camera movements and the actors look quite similar to what is seen in games.

An example of this is the first-person sequences, in which both the protagonist and the audience need to pay attention to what is around them to know how to get out of dangerous situations. This helps to give the tense atmosphere that the good games of the series can provide.

Excessive humor and performances

Despite the horror hits, the film exaggerates in humor. At least, the humor (which was even more present in earlier versions of the film, and was softened after test sessions) serves to show the versatility of Austin Abrams, who does well in both comic and more dramatic moments.

He also has room to demonstrate that he has a good dramatic vein. And the best example of this is in a scene where he decides to send a message to his girlfriend, who is far from Racoon City. In this sequence, Abrams manages to excite at the right dose.

The rest of the cast, little known, does not have great acting highlights. Only a Paul Walter Hauser appearance ("The Richard Jewell Affair") draws attention to the plot, but is not very relevant.

Is it worth watching?

The new Resident Evil is a grateful surprise for horror fans who seek a more game-focused experience in terms of atmosphere and tension. Zach Cregger’s direction is efficient in creating genuine scares and a constant sense of danger. However, excessive humor can displease those who expect a more serious and darker film.

For those who are in Ponta Grossa and region, the film is on display in local theaters. It is worth checking the schedule and deciding if the mixture of horror and comedy is your beach. Keep following the Boca no Trombone Portal for more reviews and news from the entertainment world.

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