“Did You See It?” is a review column where we watch trending movies and share honest impressions and key takeaways. <Editor’s Note>
[E-Daily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] “Resident Evil” is back with a fresh take. This isn’t just a reboot that borrows the name. It successfully brings to the screen the fear and tension of the video game, along with that instinctive sense of immersion that compels you to “move on to the next stage.” Before you even have time to be surprised, the next crisis hits, and once you overcome one hurdle, an even greater terror awaits. This marks the birth of a “dopamine-fueled horror-buster” that relentlessly pushes the boundaries of tension and thrill.

“Resident Evil: Night Zero” depicts the events that unfold when medical courier Brian (Austin Abrams) heads to Raccoon City General Hospital in the middle of the night for an emergency delivery. The moment he encounters an unidentified entity on the road, his night turns into a game of survival. Breaking away from the existing film series and its universe, this film refocuses on the survival horror atmosphere of the original “Resident Evil” video game.
The film’s greatest strength is its simplicity and pace. It strips away complex explanations and excessive character relationships, focusing solely on Brian’s struggle to survive. As he overcomes one crisis, new locations and enemies appear, and his weapons evolve from a pistol to a shotgun and then a submachine gun. It offers the same thrill as leveling up by completing quests one by one in a video game. The settings—roads, barns, farmhouses, abandoned tunnels, RVs, back alleys, and sewers—also change rapidly every 7 to 8 minutes. Just as you start to get used to one location, the next stage opens up, and the intensity of the horror escalates along with it.

The cinematography also actively draws on the conventions of video games. It alternates between a shoulder-view shot following Brian and a perspective close to first-person, placing the audience right behind the character. It constantly stirs up primal anxieties such as, “Should I open that door?” and “Is there something lurking in that darkness?” The sensation of actually playing the game is very much alive.
The film’s pacing and intensity of fear are also exceptional. While staying true to the horror genre’s fundamental “jump scare” technique, it avoids repeating the same tactics over and over. After delivering a major scare, it eases the tension with humor, only to thrust fear back at the audience the moment they let their guard down. This rhythm—where laughter gives way to fear, and fear is followed by laughter—continues, naturally amplifying the intensity of the horror.
The casting of Austin Abrams was also excellent. Brian is an ordinary character, far from a hero. He is timid and flustered, yet he struggles desperately to survive in extreme situations. His clumsiness and desperation actually make him feel very realistic. This creates an immersive experience where the audience feels as though they are fleeing alongside Brian rather than simply watching him.

Above all, the relentless direction of Jack Cregar—who established himself in the Hollywood horror scene with *The Barbarian* and *Weapon*—truly stands out. Once he’s got the audience in his grip, he holds on tight, like a leech. He knows exactly when to ramp up the horror and when to take a breather, and he mixes in humor in between to regulate the tension. Rather than simply replicating the game, he has translated the tension and immersion felt while playing it into a cinematic experience.
Ultimately, what *Resident Evil: Night Zero* revives is not the game’s story, but the “fun of playing.” As soon as one scene ends, another horror awaits, and the film pulls the audience into the next stage right up until the very end. It’s a more-than-sufficient start for the new *Resident Evil* franchise. Directed by Jack Kreger. Runtime: 94 minutes. Opens September 17.