Sense and Sensibility

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Sense and Sensibility is an adaptation of the Jane Austen classic novel of the same name. In this feature, we follow the Dashwood sisters, who face social and economic hardship after their father passes away. Their future prospects lie in the chance of a fortunate match with a gentleman; this is their story of finding love.

I simply adore a Jane Austen adaptation; it is so rare to find a period romance like this that doesn't absolutely pull out every conceivable stop. This is truly no different, a real gem given it's Georgia Oakley's major mainstream debut. There is a formula to an Austen film, and the trap is falling into that without carving something forth that is truly unique in its presentation. This take on Sense and Sensibility celebrates the kinship amongst women; we see it through the way they play and laugh, gossip and trade secrets, and endure hardship with one another. There's a steady series of sequences in which the Dashwood women toil at their garden together in the film that I think is filled with as much beauty as a furtive glance between matchmade lovers. Oakley understands that Austen's works aren't just about the scintillating romance storylines; they are an idyllic portrait of another time and another style of livelihood. It's a story rife with your gossips and bullies (Martin and Coveney), your comical characters (Brooke, Pirrie and Slater), the lovable hosts (Convery) and even the seedy roles that are tough to love (Bothwell). This is a tapestry of a story and a cast that you can really get swept away in if you let it. Even the way this film is edited feels like you are gently turning the pages of the book from cover to close.

There is a real sense of emotion to this story, a joy when all of the sisters are together. The youngest, Margaret (played by Breathnach), is an absolute source of hilarity. Her energy is infectious and sets this film running from the start of the feature. Watching these young women despair is difficult because you see them trying to make the best of things; you like their characters and you fear for what will happen to them now. The coursing thread of this film is the romance between Elinor Dashwood and Edward Ferrars, which is the best performance of the film given by Daisy Edgar-Jones and George MacKay. This pair feels bound for one another from the very first moment we meet them, longing glances, a lingering touch and loving words on the cusp of being spoken. It's a fragile love story that races forth and then almost seems to fly out of reach, the two leads almost appearing broken at the thought of losing one another. The ending of the feature and its inevitable joyous conclusion are exceptionally satisfying as a result.

Whilst Elinor and Edward are the couple we hope for the most throughout, it is Marianne Dashwood's story that often speaks the loudest. A storyline that plays for sadness as often as it plays for humour, it really is a plot that has fun in the drama of it all. Marianne is a wild and dramatic young woman, portrayed by Esmé Creed-Miles. She gets to really play big, lean into the comedy and chase romance chaotically. Watching the classic Austen stoic man (Nordrum) pine for her whilst she engages with a dangerous match is enticing and leads to a satisfying end. The whole affair is fuelled by comedic side commentary given by Mrs Jennings, an eccentric gossip who fashions herself a matchmaker and is played with great hilarity by Fiona Shaw. Watching Creed-Miles and Edgar-Jones explore the bonds of sisterhood and how much they are tested by the experiences of London is a wonderful instance of exemplary acting. There is a feeling of something missing in that the mother, Mrs Dashwood (Balfe), is often diminished across the film and struggles to be placed in a scene.

There is a very real sense of natural beauty to Sense and Sensibility. The framing throughout captures broad landscapes awash with colour, classic art that propels you right there. But there is an incredible sense of the wild world around the Dashwoods, and sometimes we get these breathtaking shots of a hawk in flight, or a herd of deer galloping, or even a small insect delicately wriggling along young Margaret's finger. This is the wonder of this adaptation; it loves being so free in a natural world. London still feels lavish, and it's a feat to capture such strong internal and external period spaces. However, it is when our characters find themselves in the countryside that this movie really knows how to step up. The atmosphere of this is again uplifted by that beautiful musical score, a passionate series of tracks that really sing to the wonder, heart and, at times, tragedy of this piece.

However, for all the shining qualities of Sense and Sensibility, I don't feel it is without its flaws. It really sacrifices nothing and is in no hurry to conclude, meaning that this slow-burning romance can drag on when it comes to aspects of the pacing. I also felt it really did nothing to leave you wondering; there was absolutely no sense of pretence to this. I think a film that can be entirely predictable and often signposts its story can bore an audience, though as a classic work there is some expectation here. I also found myself thinking there were a few performers who just struggled to find their way to presenting a period role; Eliot Sumner is a very relevant example. But the better example is Frank Dillane, who manages to present an unlikeable figure as was intended, but who really struggles to find his way to a foppish, despondent period-accurate gentleman. There was no worse scene than Dillane and Nordrum's duel, which was a bit of a pantomime and quite overdone.

Another absolutely enchanting Austen adaptation that is really going to stand the test of time. I would give Sense and Sensibility an 8.5/10.

The Social Reckoning

 

This review may contain spoilers!

The Social Reckoning is a somewhat spiritual successor to The Social Network (2010). It's a biopic feature that explores the 'Facebook Files' exposé published by The Wall Street Journal and fueled by whistleblower Frances Haugen.

I think there's something that has to be said about this film, an obvious point, really. You just can't help but compare it to The Social Network. There's an inevitability in looking back, not helped by the fact that this film isn't shy about marketing and tying itself to its 2010 predecessor. But where Fincher crafted a tight, electric thriller of a biopic, Sorkin's is staggeringly plain and a bit scattered. This is a film that often looks like it has been shot on luxurious-styled sets, with a streamlined world of wealth before us. Yet, the camera never lifts these scenes higher. The cinematographer just so happens to be in the room, but you're insane if you think there's going to be any artistic framing or a creative edge to the visual style. The editing is also pretty docile, with a sedated approach to cutting scenes that really dragged the pace of the feature a fair bit. I was even surprised to hear that Alexandre Desplat's score was so sparingly used and bare of tone. Every time a technical proficiency could have elevated this feature, it simply was not there to do the job.

What this movie really has going for it is just how fascinating all of the information in it actually is. There's a real story behind all of this that deserves outrage. Hell, it should inspire you to detox from social media for a time. Seeing a film start with a tense scene (played by Doubleday, Braugher and Capri) in which a young woman escalates into a racist attack against two coloured police officers threads the beginning with curiosity. But there's a shock ahead, because hearing things like Instagram affected 34% of users with mental health issues, particularly in relation to body image is abhorrent. To have it pointed out that Facebook knew MSI would propel outrage to the forefront of algorithms on average makes you realise how socially affecting social media is. Or what about the fact that if they had done anything about it, they would have only lost 1% of engagement/users. But they refused to take even that much responsibility. This is a film that points out a business that is far less visible but has an all-encompassing reach, exerting a lot of control and needing to be fought to achieve some level of regulation.

There isn't really getting past that this film doesn't know how to tell its own story. We shunt left and right in time like we're on a toggle, and it can get completely exhausting. Sometimes we're tracking with the investigation, now it's COVID, here's the Capitol Jan. 6th Riot, oh and then we have Zuckerberg practising for a Senate hearing in a media training chamber. There are a lot of threads, and the story presents them all, by carving them up into pieces and making sure we see the remains of the jigsaw puzzle before us. In the right hands, this would be clever non-linear storytelling, but it just winds up feeling like a scattered essay of a biopic. I felt conflicted that it was Jeff presented as the champion of the truth and not Frances, who risked more for the truth. I also felt like there was a brief dramatisation of the Capitol Riot that didn't capture the authenticity of the event.

One of the greatest aspects of The Social Reckoning was the opportunity to watch a talented cast of performers really give it their all in the leading roles. I was supremely impressed by Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg. He had a real void of emotion, a clinical ability to just see the logic in his business model's success. Yet, when he gets to be invested, riled, and shows some anger, you will be captivated. It was great watching Strong and Burr spar with one another across the feature. Mikey Masison is a talent who I only really want to see more of. She presents a mousy, determined figure with an incredible intellect here. I loved watching her take Frances from a loyal employee to a fighter for truth. Jeremy Allen White is a quiet champion for the written word here, often seeking the right thing the right way. Billy Magnussen as a rabid middle management Facebook loyalist was depraved to watch; this was a role so loyal to the work that it bordered on being dark. In saying that, not every Facebook side role soared. Wunmi Mosaku was positioned to conduct the media training scenes with Zuckerberg, which she didn't really achieve. I also didn't really connect with Betty Gilpin's stone-cold Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal. In fact, almost all of the Wall Street Journal cast members failed to make any impact.

Fascinating topic, titanic cast and absolutely nothing comes together all that well. I would give The Social Reckoning a 5.5/10.

Other Mommy

 

This review may contain spoilers!

A horror feature based on Josh Malerman's novel 'Incidents Around the House.' This film follows Bela, a young girl who is painfully aware of the problems between her parents that threaten her family's happiness. However, Bela has a friend, 'Other Mommy'. A mysterious entity that helps Bela, but has sinister intentions of wanting to take possession of her.

Horror is the genre that is really having a moment right now. In 2026, we've been treated to an absolutely stacked roster of films like Obsession, Hokum, Resident Evil or 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. But Other Mommy is not like the rest; it's not even punching near films like Undertone. Rob Savage's latest feature is a painful watch that lacks a sense of pacing, decimates its own sense of tension and barely holds a semblance of narrative together between a couple of decent scare motifs. I liked that the stakes for this film started high, that Other Mommy had a tangible presence from the beginning. The fact that there was a physical aspect to this haunting of Bela made it all the more unnerving. Some of those very early sequences in which she steadily made herself known were fairly frightening and disturbing. Even later, there are some great moments with Bela being transported to the ocean or Other Mommy being backlit by the lighthouse at night.

This movie starts with high stakes and the sinister presence established, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately, what I should have also realised was that this would be a precursor to an absolutely insane sense of pace. This movie is rushing without purpose, often chasing us along to the next big scare, but rarely feeling like it was lugging the story forward at all. The moment Other Mommy becomes a problem, she remains a problem for the duration of the film. We jump from one house to the next, from a fast food restaurant playground to the eccentric grandmother's house. The film is a chase: stay ahead of the demon that will inevitably just show up once again. In the background, there's family tension that feels poorly explored and unbearably vague. You wonder if this is thematic of impending divorce, or if it's about the mother's infidelity. Ultimately, we get an unusual confessional about the way their family dynamic came to be and an admission that the mother never wanted Bela. This is an important climactic reveal, but the work hasn't been done to get us here. But this is a film that often struggles with tone. Sometimes there will be an absolutely horrendous moment, like Bela being attacked during an anniversary party, only for us to suddenly cut to guests being politely and gently waved off as they slowly depart the household. The script lacks a real sense of itself, and that often leads to a feature that feels comical and not so scary. Watching a squad of ghost detectors rock up to grandma's mansion is a trope that really jumps the shark. Dichen Lachman is a great performer, but the moment we got a séance table involved, I had a feeling we'd be watching one of the weakest scenes of the feature. Even the conclusion struggles to make sense, often sidestepping Bela's confrontation and then twisting the end of Other Mommy into a sucker punch that will probably strike you in the funny bone.

I think some people might have been less than impressed with some of the visual choices in Other Mommy, but I think it's probably the one shining facet at play. There's a very clear intention here to try some inventive scare moments, positioning the camera to really go on a journey and experience each moment differently. I particularly loved the ceiling balloon scene with Other Kelvin (a role that is played superbly and all too briefly by Sean Kaufman). The visual effects are a real mixed bag, but I think that also adds value. It's entirely too difficult to predict how Other Mommy is going to present. Sometimes she's serpentine, others a shadow demon and I loved that imposed image of her under the water as we tilt into the final act. If there is a technical element that really let the feature down it's the score, which is your classic nails against the chalkboard stuff.

Jessica Chastain comfortably gives the best performance, though this falls short of some of her titanic performances in the past. It's also no surprise that Chastain is having the most fun when she gets to play a demonic entity that is from beyond this world. Arabella Olivia Clark leads this film as Bela and is really quite versatile as a young actress. I would have liked to see the final confrontation scene brought down a notch, but the film was well and truly off the rails by that point. Jay Duplass is clearly the weak link in this family unit as the meek Dad who slowly has to learn to fight for his family, and Karen Allen doesn't really flesh out the wise grandma stereotype. Uncle Frank (Moayed) is a side character with a ton of charisma; I could have done with more of him. It would have been stronger if the tension between Chastain, Moayed and Duplass had sincerely been allowed to come to a head.

A script that had no business being viewed as complete. I would give Other Mommy a 2.5/10.

Big Girls Don't Cry

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Big Girls Don't Cry follows Sid, a fourteen-year-old girl growing up in 1990s New Zealand and trying her best to fit in socially with a crowd she aspires to be a part of. 

I found this film a very uncomfortable watch almost till the very last frame. This is really the exact point. Big Girls Don't Cry isn't here to be a coming-of-age story with a rose-tinted glasses approach and warm conclusion. This film takes our protagonist, Sid, and puts her on a truly difficult path of personal identity exploration. Across this film, Sid is exploring her own sense of self and emerging sexual desires. She stumbles through flirtatious and sexual exchanges online, even using her best friend's brother's MSN account to solicit images from other girls. Syd is incredibly isolated in her own exploration of sexual identity, though she clearly falls into the orbit of Lana, a popular girl Sid is crushing on. As she goes through this process, Sid begins to push against her own boundaries, stealing alcohol, sneaking out to parties and engaging in drug use. Her own sense of self really gets tested too. She begins changing the way she wears her clothes, looks at her hair and experiments with make-up. There's a particularly gnarly scene in which she gives herself a belly button piercing. This is a vast range of change and experience to play through, and the whole thing really hinges on Ani Palmer's quite reserved and grounded leading performance.

This is as much a story about trauma as it is a journey of self-discovery. Paloma Schneideman has crafted a narrative that points a glaring finger at the ways young girls and women are failed their entire lives. The manner through which they are hurt, exploited and abused. Sid is often chasing something in this film, but she gives up pieces of herself to do it. Sometimes the autonomy to give up those pieces isn't even there. Social pressures push her into making poor decisions in a vulnerable setting or being forced into sexual encounters that feel like a dark corner more than anything else. One of my least favourite aspects of this feature is that it decides to tell this story by just ending. There is a moment where the story concludes by simply indicating Sid's story will continue to happen and things like this will come again. It's a clear thought but doesn't lend finality very much to the film. In some ways, it left me wondering if Sid has just endured awful things and consequences, but hasn't necessarily grown beyond those moments. Big Girls Don't Cry seems afraid to end; it barely knows how to look forward, which lessened some of the weight of the feature for me.

I also struggle with this trend in films at the moment to have a cast of extremely likeable characters. That's not to say the performances are inherently bad; in fact, it's a fascinating cast. But while you believe in everyone, it's difficult to find someone to root for in this film. Palmer is acting beyond her years in this, but it doesn't change the fact that Sid can be difficult to watch at times. She makes a lot of bad decisions, acts selfishly towards others and is quite manipulative. One of the better young performances in this came from Ngataitangirua Hita, who played Tia. She was this really steady best friend role to Palmer, and you really saw something unwavering in her role's principles that I liked. Noah Taylor gave the best performance of the feature as the complicated father figure, Leo. This was a role that could be creepy at times, a bit abrasive and certainly wasn't the most present father. Yet, he also had this clear fragility to him that I admired. There's a scene near the end of the feature where he actually shows a great deal of care for his youngest daughter that really hits home. Some roles came off quite generic; Lana (Wolfe) was a bit generic as a pretty girl with a mean streak, while the untrustworthy young guys (Blackburn, Boyle and Lee) really left you on edge. I found Rain Spencer fascinating; she was both a sort of guide and a light that was fast blazing out in Sid's life. I wish Canton had gotten more of a chance to do much in her big sister role, but this often felt pushed to the back.

This was a film that might have struggled to frame dialogue scenes at times, but on the whole, it was rather beautiful. It had some amazing picturesque shots, like the Jeep driving along the surf of the beach. But it also did some pretty powerful perspective storytelling. The camera really was the eye of Sid at times: lingering, furtive glances and burning curiosity. The whole thing had a good sense of flow to it, with a pretty precise approach to the editing. There was a very transcendent score that suited moments that felt out of body and freeing perfectly. The soundtrack had a light indie party vibe that really felt true to the world Sid was tethering herself to. It's the sort of aspirational indie coming-of-age tale I haven't really seen New Zealand cinema be inventive enough to branch into before. 

It's nice to see this kind of cinematic ambition coming out of New Zealand. I would give Big Girls Don't Cry a 6.5/10.

Digger

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Digger is a political satire showing a rendition of the life of billionaire and fuel tycoon Digger Rockwell. When Digger's oil drilling platforms create a severe ecological disaster, the whole world pays for it.

It has been a while since I've seen the highly creative talent of Alejandro G. Iñárritu guide a film, and this felt a lot like revisiting the theatrical nature of Birdman. Digger is by nature a performance film, something theatrical that plays up its own sense of satire. This is a film that presents to you a ridiculous calamity that is walked through by moronic individuals who caricature real-life billionaires and political giants. Yet, Digger is about finding truth in tragedy; mimicking the absurdity of these events in pantomime so that the relatable blow is light enough to be swallowed. This is a film that has been mired in speculation, with people wondering what the other aspect of this nutty feature is. The twist that Digger is a performance within a performance isn't especially rewarding; having a moment of reality swirling around an actor's personal fear for his family takes some punch out of the piece. There is a brief glimmer when Cruise breaks scene and argues with Wilde, a scene that really is quite revelatory when it comes to what Plemons has to bring to the feature. Ultimately, the film sort of shrugs and reminds you that this is all show, meandering through a false messiah third-act piece that captures Rcokwell's fall from grace and then hits us with a sci-fi dystopian end that just seems a bit heavy-handed. Digger is a script that proves very daring, but really struggles to maintain a compelling narrative throughline.

I must admit that while I didn't care much for the narrative structure of Digger, I felt it really had some important messaging to say. This is a feature that quite adeptly holds a mirror to the capitalist cowboys that are so often at the head of the ship. Positioning billionaires as leading presidents, watching a political theatre play out as a circus, it even managed to position a personal minister to the president, mirroring the announcement of a similar role in the USA this past week. Digger himself leads a very sheltered life full of falsehoods and luxuries that he clings to. You watch him calculate and consider how he can defer, lie or bully his way out of things going from bad to worse, while staying financially in the green. Even the unnatural way Digger keeps his suffering, dying cat alive is a strong symbol of Digger serving his own needs before others. There's something played for comedy in this that could be harrowingly real; that is the moment in which an internet firewall prevents warnings and reporting of news about a cataclysmic tsunami caused by an American oil rig operation. The scale of secrecy and self-serving deceit feels cartoonish, and yet it only feels a few shades apart from reality.

This script often feels annoyingly at war with itself, with some exceptionally good themes to speak to. It's a massively unique swing in amongst the line-up of 2026 features; it's certainly the most unique thing Tom Cruise has done in years. I was so entirely impressed with him as Rockwell and Markson. You felt that he had such brash bravado as Digger, a greed that presents as all-consuming. His speech to the World nations is a wild ranting rave of a monologue that will remind just how much versatility Cruise actually has. This is a powerhouse, reminding us that if he were in the Oscars race every year, we'd have some fascinating work on our hands. Cruise isn't the only one acting up a storm in this. I've already mentioned the incredibly grounding performances of Plemons and Wilde, who guide the twist aspect of this film. Riz Ahmed's work as Ganesh is something staggering. Ahmed is a scene partner the likes of whom Cruise hasn't rallied against in a long time. This is truly an ensemble piece, and it's made by people like Stuhlbarg, Burke, Kirrane and Mullion all quietly propping this thing up. There are also moments where things go staggeringly too far; I could not take Goodman's president parody and felt it jumped the shark. Sandra Hüller, meanwhile, struggled to connect to anyone else and seemed like an island alone in this feature.

I admire Iñárritu's work and style most of the time, but I often grappled with Digger. There's a clear sense of theatricality to it, but I don't really believe that it begot a visually striking film. There are a few nice visuals, but the constant attempt to 'stage' the camera and give the piece a theatre quality resulted in some average framing and washed-out shots. The moments where special effects were implemented really looked the part, resulting in some transporting scenes. I also thought the film score could barely be called such. This is an array of noise that screeches at the audience. 

It's a pity that Cruise's most ambitious project in years doesn't quite know how to stick the landing. I would give Digger a 4.5/10.

The Love Hypothesis

 

This review may contain spoilers!

The Love Hypothesis is a romance film that adapts Ali Hazelwood's bestselling novel of the same name. In this feature, Olive Smith winds up in a fake relationship with Dr. Carlsen (also known by students as Dr Evil). Olive hopes to convince two people close to her to develop their own relationship, while Carlsen plans to secure his grant for another year by playing the part of a man settling down. But what happens when there's some real chemistry between these two scientists...

I have a fair few misgivings about this film; the romance genre in general feels quite diluted at the moment. I talked about this with another film at the top of this year, People We Meet on Vacation. I see these trendy romance films coming out, spinning out of books that aren't really breaking ground on the genre too much. My issue is that romance films or novels often feel like they have to play by a certain rulebook at the moment, hitting all of the right tropes for the sake of it. Enemies to lovers? Check. One room/bed? Check. Fake dating? Check. Miscommunication? Check. There is rarely a moment where it doesn't feel like we're just walking a similar path that all of these feel-good tales of love have walked before. That's not necessarily a bad thing all of the time, but it matters when the story elements that are unique to this individual story aren't interesting. There is no part of me that really believed in the setting or the characters playing within it. The concept that Olive is an upcoming scientist with something groundbreaking to give to pancreatic cancer research is rarely believable; it also seems unlikely that Dr Carlsen is capable of being a Professor - let alone one who is kicking out or failing a student every other day. I want to believe in what's playing out, but the film just wants to coyly tip us towards chapter 16 most of the time.

That isn't to say this film isn't without something to fall head over heels for. If you're looking for a book boyfriend who doesn't let out his feelings until at least half of the story is done, who growls at anyone who threatens you and who will chivalrously cut his keynote speech short to come support you, then you've found your man. Tom Bateman's portrayal of Dr Adam Carlsen was what really kept me hooked throughout. It's a very fictional, over-the-top role, but it's clear Bateman is really just having some fun with it. The result is the sort of character who would leap perfectly out of the cartoon covers of any romance novel. I also have to say that for all of the narrative failings of The Love Hypothesis (are we seriously still doing the miscommunication trope?), it is actually very sweet. You are often rooting for Adam and Olive to wind up in one another's arms, which is only spurred on by their sweet remarks, teasing and flirting. Lili Reinhart leads this film as Olive, and she seems most in her element when she gets to flirt or toy with a comedic moment. Likewise, Reinhart is one of the major reasons I struggled to believe the greater story of Love Hypothesis: She's not much of a scientist figure. Despite that, there is no denying what she can achieve as a leading performer.

This is a film in which none of the characters generally feel like they'd fit into the university setting that is being painted. But that doesn't mean the performances are bad; in fact, I was pretty delighted by this cast for the most part. Rachel Marsh and Jaboukie Young-White play Reinhart's onscreen best friends, and they both really do a good job at bridging some of the quieter scenes between big moments. Young-White's take on Malcolm is one of conflict; he struggles to take personal responsibility for himself throughout the feature. Marsh and Reinhart, on the other hand, have such an authentic bond of friendship; I also just found Marsh to be a light, hilarious presence. Duvernay didn't fit into this group as neatly, ultimately landing the role of 'the other boyfriend in the group'. Arty Froushan's take on the slimy Harvard Doctor who sexually harasses Olive can't be a comfortable role to play, but Froushan makes for one hell of an antagonist.

The Love Hypothesis could have been more if it tried to have any semblance of style whatsoever. There are incredible moments from the soundtrack; artists like Gracie Abrams, Selena Gomez and HAIM send this film into the stratosphere. But I never found myself feeling the same way about the score. I could load up any direct-to-streaming romance film on Amazon or Netflix and hear the exact same musical themes blasted at me. It reads like there isn't an effort desired to stand out from the crowd. The director of this feature has a TV background, and it absolutely shows in every frame of the film. I could not tell you more than a couple of scenes that were well shot in this. Everything looks so basically framed, simple and like the purpose was to cobble the scene together and move on to the next one. The editing cuts are simple, and I don't think the team behind post-production had ever heard of the art of colour grading your film. The Love Hypothesis is a visual eyesore that knows people will watch it because of the book, Reinhart and Bateman. There's not much else: happily ever after kiss, cut to credits.

Despite some better efforts from the cast, this is a romance as shallow as they come. I would give The Love Hypothesis a 3.5/10.

Resident Evil

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Resident Evil marks the most recent attempt to adapt the video game series of the same name. In this feature, Bryan, a medical courier, finds himself stranded with an important delivery bound for Raccoon City. Plagued by monstrosities and the dead returning to life, Bryan is caught in a fight for survival.

This feature is directed by Zach Cregger, who has directed such hits as Barbarian and Weapons. Cregger has quickly ascended to horror royalty, bringing a fresh approach to the genre that is spawning many other inspired horror films. Resident Evil is Cregger's first time playing in an established world, and he pours nothing but love into this venture. This is a horror film that feels like a descent into darkness. That opening sequence in which his car is flooding the forest with shades of cool white and neon red is gorgeous; made even more so as we watch the vehicle steadily plunge onwards into shadow. That is the sort of film this Resident Evil is. At every turn there is an incredibly inventive set piece brimming with possibility. Comedic choices are really carefully woven through; the tension you feel throughout rides high, and even the jump scares are so well earned. This is a movie that plays like a character moving through video game levels, advancing in difficulty but also skill. The fact that design, atmosphere and experience are all at the forefront of this piece shows that Cregger knows exactly what the audience is after, and rewards them for it. There are few sequences this year that impress me more than the zombies throwing themselves off the buildings towards Bryan.

There is so much to marvel at when it comes to Cregger's vision here, but the film is also made so impressive because it anchors on one character. Bryan is a young guy, pretty unassuming, chasing work for money. His major moral conflict for the film is that his girlfriend Michelle has discovered she is pregnant, and Bryan does not seem certain in himself that he is ready to be a father. Yet, across the film, Bryan is transporting life in the package he is responsible for; he sacrifices himself in an effort to save a child, and he is plagued by a monstrous creature that is family itself coming together. Bryan becomes both haunted by and proves capable of the fear he has from the top of the film: his future as a father. Austin Abrams leads this film in what might be his best role to date. Abrams leads an absolutely relentless feature that simply could not work without his ability as a performer. The way he would bumble through an obstacle, or curse to himself or just do his very best made him such an enduring protagonist right through to the film's tragic ending.

Monsters have always made Resident Evil, and I really enjoyed just how much work went into crafting a good balance of practical and visual effects that brought these beings to life. Whether it was an amalgamation of bodies that had come to life, a maternity ward riddled with horrors, or someone progressively mutating into an abomination moments before credits, this film really had many tricks up its sleeve. But it takes far more than a good-looking creature to really elevate a horror experience beyond the rest; in this film I could not get enough of the score. The Holladays, Hays and Ryan scored this feature, and it is such a thrill. Even when a scene plays light, you feel arrested, waiting for something to upend. It spikes moments of adrenaline, and it pushes those more emotional scenes to a really heartfelt place.

Something that I do think rings true of a Zach Cregger film is that he has mastered horror-comedy; it's an incredible mix. But sometimes there can be moments where the humour is just too in your face and shatters a tense scene. There's a point in the film where people who work for the Umbrella Corporation (Hauser & Reis) wade in, shooting exposition from the hip and pushing into comedic banter territory. This really made a middle moment in the film lose course before finding its feet once more. It was probably more disappointing in the final sequence when bumbling scientists led by Zach Cherry make a very tragic moment a bit lighter than it should have been. This film shines most of the time, but it's only when it really takes its eyes off the tone that this thing really starts to waver.

This is comfortably the best Resident Evil film we've ever had, and one of the top horror features of the year to boot. I would give Resident Evil a 7.5/10.