Zach Cregger occupies a very strange space in horror filmmaking. Unlike Curry Barker’s Obsession or Kane Parsons’ Backrooms, Resident Evil walks a fine line between comedy and horror, featuring the same dark hilarity as Cregger’s previous films. It’s a tightrope he balances effortlessly, never undermining the tension of certain scary scenes but amplifying them in fascinating ways. You’re almost willing to let your guard down — right up until Cregger hits you with that heart-attack-inducing jump scare.

Comedy typically isn’t my forte; it was one of my primary issues with Weapons. Cregger’s previous film seemed to rely far too much on its comedic elements, often overriding the on-screen tension. The sketch-comedian-turned-auteur director clearly has a knack for finding humor in horrific situations, but that comedy always felt like it was competing with the horror rather than emerging naturally from it. Much of the film's ending is filled with gag humor and slapstick comedy, like James (Austin Abrams) getting knocked out multiple times or Gladys (Amy Madigan) being chased by the children. It all felt like it culminated in hijinks rather than something genuinely horrifying.

Resident Evil, by comparison, feels much more confident. It is first and foremost a horror movie filled with moments of blood-curdling terror. The jokes are just there to soften you up.

Cregger’s balancing act

One of the best examples is the film’s early dog sequence that occurs roughly 20 minutes in. Set on a snow-covered ranch near an abandoned house, the scene begins with the protagonist Bryan........

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