TheWrap Movies published an analysis arguing that Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil film is a perfect adaptation because it does not follow a traditional main character. The article notes that Cregger, the director of Weapons, faced months of criticism from gamers who wanted to see established franchise characters like Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield. Instead, the film focuses on Austin Abrams as Bryan, a medical courier. TheWrap states that the film’s setting, characters, and plot came under fire from fans, but Cregger’s approach evokes the feeling of playing the games.
In this sequence, Bryan enters a parking garage beneath a hospital where the Umbrella Corporation has set up shop. The location is described as evocative of similar locations seen in games like Resident Evil 2. At this point in the film, Bryan has fought through infected to deliver a component of a potential cure, but he was previously bitten by an infected child. This bite causes him to slowly morph into a monster.
Finding no way to reach the Umbrella lab, Bryan records a message for his pregnant girlfriend. The article explains that the Resident Evil franchise, along with similar series like The Last of Us, uses collectibles and environmental storytelling that players can interact with during missions. TheWrap concludes that this scene reveals the brilliance of the adaptation by aligning the film’s narrative structure with the games’ design philosophy.