Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ Achieves Highest Rating for a Video Game Movie

Video game adaptations have long been criticized for disappointing audiences and critics alike, a trend that has led many to label it a curse. Even the most recent successes in the genre have often polarized viewers and reviewers, making a true critical consensus a rare occurrence.

The ‘Resident Evil’ franchise has faced significant challenges on the big screen. The original live-action series never exceeded 33 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and even the 2021 reboot, ‘Welcome to Raccoon City,’ only managed a 30 percent score, continuing a history of critical letdowns for the Capcom franchise across its six previous films.

However, Zach Cregger’s fresh interpretation of the series seems to have broken this pattern dramatically. A recent report indicates that Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ now boasts an impressive 96 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, marking it as the highest-rated video game adaptation among major theatrical releases.

This score aligns with the wave of positive reviews that have followed the film since its initial reactions. Critics have praised Cregger for successfully capturing the tension inherent in playing a ‘Resident Evil’ game, skillfully blending relentless survival horror with the dark humor that has become a hallmark of his work, from ‘Barbarian’ to the Oscar-winning ‘Weapons.’

To put this 96 percent into perspective, it’s helpful to compare it with other recent video game adaptations. ‘The Last of Us’ Season 1 received a stellar 96 percent from critics upon its release, while ‘Fallout’ scored 92 percent and ‘Arcane’ fluctuated between 87 and 95 percent across its two seasons, both of which had previously been seen as among the strongest results in the genre.

In contrast, other notable adaptations have not performed nearly as well. ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ garnered just 54 percent from critics despite its box office success, and its 2026 sequel, ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,’ dropped even further to a disappointing 40 percent, even as audiences embraced both films. In this context, ‘Resident Evil’ achieving a 96 percent rating from critics is a remarkable accomplishment for a franchise rooted in this type of source material.

It’s important to mention that some smaller animated ‘Resident Evil’ films, like 2012’s ‘Damnation,’ technically hold 100 percent scores on Rotten Tomatoes, but these ratings are based on a limited number of reviews, making them less statistically significant than Cregger’s film, which has already amassed numerous reviews from major critics.

The first trailer for Zach Cregger’s ‘RESIDENT EVIL’ has been released.

In theaters on September 18. pic.twitter.com/eeVCAGzy6M

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 30, 2026

Critics have been particularly enthusiastic about how the film feels like an interactive experience rather than just a passive adaptation. Many have drawn parallels to John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’ for its body horror and creature design, while others have highlighted lead actor Austin Abrams for bringing genuine charm to the chaos as medical courier Bryan, who finds himself in a nightmare scenario over the course of one incredibly bad night.

Cregger has described the project as a love letter to the games, aiming to replicate the exhilarating dread of moving forward with limited resources and uncertainty about what lurks in the shadows. Given the overwhelmingly positive response so far, this approach seems to have resonated deeply with critics who have watched similar franchises struggle to achieve that balance.

With ‘Resident Evil’ set to premiere in theaters on September 18, the film carries both fan anticipation and historic critical acclaim as it heads into its opening weekend. If audience reactions align with critical praise, Cregger may have significantly altered the conversation surrounding what a ‘Resident Evil’ adaptation, and video game movies in general, can accomplish.

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