Zach Cregger says the 2019 Oscar-nominated war movie 1917 was an unlikely inspiration for his take on Resident Evil.
“1917. But like it’s completely different in tone. But that is structurally maybe the closest,” Cregger told Rotten Tomatoes, when asked if any movies specifically inspired Resident Evil. “It’s like if Evil Dead 2 and 1917 were its parents, but that doesn’t feel right… like if those movies loved each other very much.”
Written and directed by Sam Mendes, 1917 follows two British soldiers in World War I who set off on a mission to deliver an important message that will call off a fatal attack. The film earned ncluding ten nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, ultimately taking home Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.
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Though Evil Dead 2 might make a bit more sense, 1917 does make sense as structural inspiration for Resident Evil. It’s a man on a mission who moves through impossible circumstances with one goal in mind – and the concept of survival gets put on the back burner.
The new movie tells a new story within the world of Resident Evil, following a slightly miserable medical courier who agrees to take a mysterious package all the way over to Raccoon City… where, unbeknownst to him, a lab-created virus has just begun to destroy humanity. Cregger directs from a screenplay he penned wth Shay Hatten. It’s also some of the most fun I’ve had in a theater in a really long time.
Resident Evil is in theaters now. For more, check out our handy list of all the Resident Evil Easter eggs we spotted during the film, or, check out our guide on how Resident Evil connects to the games.
