Liam McManaman | Staff Illustrator

The new “Resident Evil” film by Zach Cregger, based on the video games of the same name, is a love letter to its namesake — but not the kind written on a fancy card.

Instead, it’s scrawled in the margins of a survival guide to a zombie apocalypse by someone who has no business getting out of it alive.

“Resident Evil” follows Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical courier delivering a package to Raccoon City right as the zombie outbreak begins.

Much of why this movie works comes down to Bryan. He isn’t a government-trained super soldier or a genetically enhanced scientist. He’s simply ordinary. 

Bryan fumbles with ammo, tries to alleviate his stress with comedic quips, and runs away from horrifying situations like any normal person would. His inexperience gives every scene weight, and when these mistakes land in crucial moments, the stakes feel real. 

“Resident Evil” also carries the comedy-horror blend Cregger is known for in his previous films “Weapons” and “Barbarian.” The claustrophobic camera work, snowed-in forests, and squelching of miscellaneous viscera create a crushing sense of dread throughout the movie. But since you don’t know if this build-up will pay off in a laugh or a scare, it keeps you from fully committing to one emotion. However, near the end, the film goes too far and starts undercutting its emotional tension with excessive comedic bits. The most egregious of these borders on slapstick during the movie’s most panic-inducing scene.

Even with that stumble, I left the theater entranced. As a fan, I was giddy at every reference, from the signature healing herbs littered throughout the city to the indestructible padlocks stamped with card suits. Though the film’s love for the franchise is clear, it treats the “Resident Evil” universe as a backdrop for the story of a man with the same hesitation and fear as a first-time player of the games, not as an arbiter of its unique identity. Longtime fans will undeniably recognize the handwriting in the margins, but newcomers who have never heard of Raccoon City may still find the survival guide worth reading.