Zach Cregger finally did it. They finally made a good one. This is the place to talk about the first good video game movie.
I figure people will want to discuss that ending. Spoiler tagging is polite to other users and respectful of the art. Other than that, go hog wild.
I’ll do a full write up later (maybe tomorrow), but what a blast. I have a few small qualms with it, but nothing on the level of error I accepted in the Mario or Sonic movies. Austin Abrams is a true leading man in the sense that I would 100% be friends with Brian and tell him about how stoked I am for him to be a dad. I loved the POV shots, the video-game-reminiscent structure, the grounded comedy - I even liked the ending which I think will divide opinions on the film. What a movie. Recommending it to anyone open to gore in their blockbuster.
This film was quite strong. I am pleased that video game adaptations are improving overall. I am curious whether the Street Fighter movie will be good quality.
I read something that said the humor was reduced for the official release, which seems okay. The tone avoided excessive comedy where it would have been misplaced. As you noted, the humor felt grounded.
I find it interesting how the ending is more bleak than almost every mainline game. At worst, the games end off on a bittersweet note. Defiant from the spirit of the games in that regard, but I still really liked the tragedy of it regardless. Bryan has been through so many close calls (though I wished that he had ones that were extremely close as the stakes kept rising like a grab from a zombie or him tripping so that something can get just a reach of him) that he turns a close call onto the last scientist once he fully succumbs to the infection. I love how we and Bryan gain a bit of hope from the scientists after that voice memo scene that you’d hope for a happy ending for him just for it to be ripped away by him at the end.