Rating: 4/5 Gothic Horrors

After the soft reboot that was Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, the franchise takes a sharp left turn into pure, Southern Gothic nightmare with Resident Evil 8: The Village. Borrowing heavily from the game’s breathtaking atmosphere, this film finally understands that Resident Evil works best when it’s scary first and action-packed second.

The plot follows a grizzled Ethan Winters (a committed performance) as he searches for his kidnapped daughter in a snow-covered European village. The catch? The village is ruled by four terrifying, god-like lords and the mysterious Mother Miranda. What follows is a two-hour descent into madness, featuring giant vampire ladies, puppet demons, and a baby monster that will haunt your dreams.

Director Johannes Roberts leans hard into the horror. The sequence set in House Beneviento is genuinely terrifying—quiet, claustrophobic, and psychologically brutal. When the action does come (courtesy of Chris Redfield, who shows up to punch things and look confused), it lands with impact. The film looks gorgeous, drenched in fog and candlelight.

The Verdict: A faithful, terrifying adaptation that prioritizes atmosphere over explosions. Fans of the game will weep with joy. Everyone else will just weep.

Final Thought: Finally, a Resident Evil movie that respects its source material. Now please stop punching boulders.