"What is the best Resident Evil movie? It's the type of critical question that is difficult - and arguably pointless - to answer. None of the seven live-action films based on Capcom's zombie horror video games are considered especially compelling. Despite their overall financial success, the critical response has remained negative, with the exquisitely convoluted zombie sci-fi saga weighed down by complaints about the wooden performances and goofy, weightless spectacle.."
"The first six films starring Milla Jovovich form a single continuity, and were spearheaded by English genre director Paul W.S. Anderson (who wrote all six films but only directed four). But the films weren't faithful to Capcom's stories, and the consistent popularity of the games has prompted several reboots in the past five years alone - Welcome to Raccoon City, Netflix's Resident Evil, and Zach Cregger's yet-to-be-seen 2026 version - alongside a series of animated, game-canon films produced by Capcom."
"But even if every non-Jovovich-starring Resident Evil film has tried to establish itself as more like the games than Anderson's loose, independent canon, the English director has a much stronger and artful grip on CG-enhanced choreography than many of his contemporaries. And 15 years ago, Resident Evil: Afterlife marked a triumphant return to the series with a brisk, grungy celebration of how garish the series could get."
Resident Evil's seven live-action films are financially successful but critically panned for wooden performances and lightweight spectacle. The first six films starring Milla Jovovich form a single continuity written largely by Paul W.S. Anderson, who directed four entries. The films diverge from Capcom game stories, prompting multiple recent reboots and animated game-canon films. Anderson's entries are notable for strong CG-enhanced choreography and stylized, garish visuals, with Resident Evil: Afterlife seen as a high-energy return. The series' overarching plot follows Alice battling the T-virus, clashes with Umbrella Corp and Wesker, imprisonment in a Los Angeles high-rise, and a cliffhanger confrontation aboard the Arcadia.
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