Director Zach Cregger and star Austin Abrams have officially delivered a massive box office win with their new Resident Evil reboot. Pulling in an impressive $60 million during its opening weekend, the horror-thriller is dominating the box office and earning rave reviews.
However, it is the film's uncompromising, downbeat finale that has everyone talking.
A Refreshing and Risky Departure
Most modern studio blockbusters shy away from gut-punch conclusions, preferring to soften the blow when a beloved character meets their demise. Resident Evil completely shatters that playbook.
Throughout the film, Abrams plays Bryan, a medical courier who gets sucked into the franchise's iconic T-virus outbreak while avoiding a difficult conversation with his pregnant girlfriend, Michelle. Rather than playing the stock archetype of an invincible action hero, Bryan panics, screams, and reacts with genuine, terrified realism.
Instead of finding a miraculous cure at the eleventh hour, Bryan succumbs to the infection on the 28th floor of Raccoon City General Hospital, ultimately transforming into one of the franchise's signature amalgamation monsters.
The Tragedy of Unspoken Truths
Before losing his humanity, Bryan records a heartfelt voice memo for Michelle. In it, he abandons his initial fear of fatherhood, admitting that he wants nothing more than to start a family with her.
Yet, the film denies audiences the comforting Hollywood trope of the message miraculously sending just before the credits roll. Michelle is left believing Bryan never wanted the baby, unaware that he changed and grew throughout his harrowing ordeal.
Abrams praised the bold creative choice in a recent interview, noting that older films weren't afraid to "rip your heart out."
"She thinks he doesn’t want to have this baby, when he actually does," Abrams explains. "The fact that she’ll never know that is pretty damn tragic. He changed and got better, but no one will ever know about it. There’s something really beautiful and tragic about that."
What's Next for the Dynamic Duo
Following the massive critical and commercial success of Weapons and now Resident Evil, Abrams and Cregger have firmly established themselves as heavyweights in the modern genre landscape.
As for Abrams, he is keeping busy. Fans can catch him next in the survival thriller Whalefall, directed by Brian Duffield, arriving on October 16.
