Resident Evil (2002)

By the turn of the millennium, video game adaptations had earned themselves a fairly grim reputation in Hollywood (and beyond). Resident Evil, released in 2002, arrived with the weight of one of gaming's most beloved survival horror franchises on its shoulders, a franchise built on slow tension, resource management, and a very particular kind of dread. Whether a film could translate any of that to the screen was the central question hanging over the whole project. What audiences actually got was something closer to a slick, high-octane action horror hybrid, produced across Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom by Impact Pictures, Davis Films, and New Legacy Film, running to a brisk 100 minutes.

Behind the camera was Paul W. S. Anderson, a director who had already worked in the video game adaptation space before this one and who would go on to return to the Resident Evil universe repeatedly, as you can see from my coverage of Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), Resident Evil: Retribution (2012), and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016). Anderson wrote the screenplay himself, crafting an original story set within the world of the games rather than adapting any single title directly. The premise centres on a viral outbreak inside a vast underground research facility called the Hive, and a military unit sent in to deal with the consequences. It is polished but unremarkable filmmaking in a technical sense, competent and visually coherent, with a clear eye for pacing action sequences.

Leading the cast is Milla Jovovich as Alice, a character created specifically for the film with no direct counterpart in the games. Jovovich, who had already shown a willingness to anchor physically demanding genre fare, brings a cool, athletic presence to the role that suits the material well. She is joined by Michelle Rodriguez, playing a hardened military operative, a type Rodriguez had already made something of a speciality by this point. Eric Mabius, James Purefoy, and Martin Crewes fill out the ensemble, each bringing different textures to what is, broadly speaking, a survival ensemble setup. The film has the shape of a creature feature crossed with a military thriller, and the cast commit to it with reasonable conviction. For another film where Jovovich carries a genre piece largely on her own, there is an interesting comparison to be drawn with The Fourth Kind (2009), which also stars her. Those who enjoy Anderson's particular brand of action horror might also find something of interest in his later Death Race (2008).

The best movie in the resident evil franchise. It's not necessarily a good zombie film and it's not even good for a game adaptation because the resident evil games are atmospheric, terrifying, claustrophobic etc... I heard they asked George Romero to direct but he turned it down as it wasn't his story. Oh how I wish he had taken this on. It's better than average but it's turn your brain off and watch cinema.

I think that framing is exactly right. There is something almost refreshing about a film that knows precisely what it is and does not pretend otherwise, but it does make you wonder what might have been with a different hand at the wheel and a different set of priorities. For fans of the games especially, there is a real sense of something left on the table. Still, as a way to spend a hundred minutes with a cold drink and nothing too pressing on your mind, it does the job. Sometimes that is enough. Just do not go in expecting the Spencer Mansion.

Rating: ★★★  | Year: 2002  | Watched: 2025-07-02

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Trailer

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Where to watch

Watch in the UK
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Related on Movies With Macca

More from Paul W. S. Anderson: Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) · Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) · Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) · Death Race (2008)
More with Milla Jovovich: Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) · Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) · Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) · The Fourth Kind (2009)
More from Canada: History of the World in Three Minutes Flat (1980) · Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) · Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) · Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
More from the 2000s: Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (2005) · Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) · Daredevil (2003) · Apocalypto (2006)
More horror: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) · Viy (1967) · Nightmare City (1980) · Angst (1983)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)