A secret experiment. A deadly virus. A fatal mistake.
When a virus leaks from a top-secret facility, turning all resident researchers into ravenous zombies and their lab animals into mutated hounds from hell, the government sends in an elite military task force to contain the outbreak.
- Body horror
- Animal harm
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Character
Contemporary, grave, unpretentious and classical in form.
- contemporarynostalgic
- gravecomic
- unpretentiousprestige
- classical in formformally daring
- earnestironic
Who loves it, who doesn't
30 profiled raters. Loved most by The Provocateurs; disliked most by The Prestige Hunters.
Where do you stand?
Answer first; then see how everyone, and your circle, split.
“Is Milla Jovovich the best thing in Resident Evil?”
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“Is Resident Evil better than AVP: Alien vs. Predator?”
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“Would a little humor have helped?”
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A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Video reviews
From critics we follow, and from Buds here.
Resident Evil | Movie Review | Worth the Hype?
Sean Chandler Talks About · Sep 2026
Mark Kermode reviews Resident Evil
Kermode and Mayo's Take · Sep 2026
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- RalphRahalon TMDB · Feb 20258/10
Resident Evil (2002) is a solid action-horror film that takes the core idea of the video game series and spins it into something original. The plot is simple but effective, following a group trying to survive in a high-tech underground facility after a deadly outbreak. It doesn't just rely on zombies for tension; the movie builds suspense through corporate secrecy, AI threats, and bioengineered monstrosities. The blend of sci-fi elements with action and horror keeps things engaging from start to finish, making it stand out from traditional zombie flicks. Paul W.S. Anderson’s directing gives the film a sleek, fast-paced energy that keeps the tension high. The cinematography complements this with clean, stylized shots, making the action sequences crisp and easy to follow. The laser hallway scene is one of the film’s most iconic moments, showcasing both the film's brutal efficiency and its sci-fi horror tone. The set design, particularly The Hive, feels sterile and claustrophobic, adding to the atmosphere. The action choreography is sharp, and Milla Jovovich’s presence elevates the film. She delivers a strong performance, blending vulnerability and badassery in a way that makes Alice
Read the whole review on TMDB - Kamuraion TMDB · Jul 20218/10
Great watch, will likely watch again, and do recommend. I understand that zombies have been done to death by the time I wrote this, but I've always enjoyed them, and I understand that, as a movie franchise, "Resident Evil" is fairly laughed at, but the first movie was somewhat promising, even if it didn't REALLY have anything to do with the video game. If nothing else, Milla Jojovich and Michelle Rodriguez are quality actors and carry the movie very well, though I honestly think the cast does well. I'm all for unique movies, and, at the time, this felt like one. It is well remembered for a particular death scene. If you like zombies, then you should like this one. It just has this evil corporation trope looming in the background. It does a great job of slowly escalating the situation, if in a slightly absurd way.
Read the whole review on TMDB - Repo Jackon TMDB · Nov 20208/10
I originally watched "Resident Evil" at a movie theater when it was first released in 2002. I hadn't played the games. There was no Rotten Tomatoes and I didn't read reviews back then so I went in blind. And I utterly enjoyed the movie: the story, the action sequences, the underground "Hive," Mila Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez kicking serious ass, and more. Panned by critics (36% RT) but liked by users (67% RT), Resident Evil was one of the first examples of how mainstream critics just don't "get" horror. Movies that try to be artsy get great reviews even as key elements fall flat for the rest of us. The recent "Beach House" is a perfect example of this -- it was loved by critics (81% RT) and panned by users (28%). Unfortunately, the rest of the "Resident Evil" sequels except for a few moments, rarely captured that first movie's originality and allure. Instead, check out the writer/director's excellent previous outing "Event Horizon."
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Cast
- Milla JovovichAlice
- Michelle RodriguezRain
- Eric MabiusMatt
- James PurefoySpence
- Martin CrewesKaplan
- Colin SalmonOne
- Pasquale AleardiJ.D.
- Heike MakatschLisa
- Ryan McCluskeyMr. Grey
- Oscar PearceMr. Red
Crew
- Paul W. S. AndersonDirector
- Paul W. S. AndersonWriter
- David JohnsonDirector of Photography
- Marco BeltramiOriginal Music Composer
- Marilyn MansonOriginal Music Composer
- Alexander BernerEditor
- Paul W. S. AndersonProducer
- Jeremy BoltProducer
- Bernd EichingerProducer
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Often watched with
Recommendations from TMDB. Opening one adds it to Tastebuds
