Though the Resident Evil video games are widely regarded as some of the best horror games that are equal parts terrifying and satisfying in terms of gameplay, the film adaptations are much more of a mixed bag. Still, there are a few films worth watching. Here are our picks for the best Resident Evil movies.
What are the best Resident Evil movies as of 2025?
As of 2025, the franchise includes Paul W. S. Anderson’s live-action movies and several CGI films. The live-action entries don’t generally rank among the top picks of most Resident Evil fan favorites. Maybe Zach Cregger (Weapons) will do better with the live-action remakes, starting with the upcoming reboot.
Surprisingly – or perhaps unsurprisingly, depending on how long you’ve been a fan – the CG movies tend to earn higher praise from audiences and critics alike. We’ve included a mix of both in our list. Also, as a note, these picks aren’t ranked.
Resident Evil: Damnation (2012)
Released in 2012, this Japanese CG-animated biopunk action film often finds itself at the top of any Resident Evil best-of list. Damnation essentially functions as a sequel to Resident Evil: Degeneration and follows U.S. federal agent Leon S. Kennedy as he infiltrates the Eastern Slav Republic, a fictional post-Soviet nation embroiled in a civil war. His mission is to investigate rumors that Bio-Organic Weapons (B.O.W.s), including Lickers and Tyrants, are being deployed in combat. Despite government orders to withdraw, Leon refuses to uncover the truth.
Directed by Makoto Kamiya and produced by Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Resident Evil: Damnation was a collaborative effort between Capcom and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan. Production began in September 2010, with the team aiming to create a film that matched the quality of Hollywood productions. The CGI technology had advanced a great deal by this point, so the humans and mutants all looked really solid for the time. The character dynamics and writing also help this movie stand out as one of the best entries in the Resident Evil movie franchise.
Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City (2021)
One of our picks for the live-action films, Welcome To Raccoon City, is based on the 2021 Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City. It’s a fairly faithful adaptation, though you’ll definitely find reviews that trash the movie as being entirely not faithful. We’ll absolutely say Welcome To Raccoon City is polarizing. However, if the horror makes you a fan of the games, this film definitely plays into that more than the others, which lean more heavily into the action.
Welcome to Raccoon City begins in the 1980s, with siblings Claire (Kaya Scodelario) and Chris Redfield (Robbie Amell) living in the Raccoon City orphanage. As children, Claire befriends a mysterious (and tragically disfigured) girl named Lisa, who is secretly subjected to experiments by Dr. William Birkin. There are plenty of dark secrets in this extra creepy orphanage that tries way too hard to be cheerful. After Claire manages to escape, the story jumps to 1998. Claire returns to Raccoon City, only to find the town overrun by zombies (though the term is slightly different from the typical zombie genre here) and other Bio-Organic Weapons following a catastrophic T-virus outbreak.
Resident Evil (2002)
If the opening of Raccoon City gave us a John Carpenter late 70s, early 80s brown toned vibe, the first live-action Resident Evil film gives us the cool, crisp world of tech. It starts off inside the Umbrella Corporation and its underground Hive facility, where a deadly T-virus has been accidentally released. AI gets a little out of control (as a reminder, this film was made in 2002, folks), and the whole security system traps everyone inside.
Alice, a security officer, wakes up with no memory of the events leading to the outbreak. She teams up with a group of survivors to fight their way through the Hive, battling and outwitting hordes of zombies and mutated creatures. As they fight to stay alive, they also uncover Umbrella’s dark experiments and must confront the sentient computer system controlling the facility.
Resident Evil: Death Island (2023)
Released in 2023, Resident Evil: Death Island is the latest CG-animated installment in Capcom’s biopunk horror saga. While there’s plenty to pick apart, this crossover story does bring together some of our favorite protagonists, including Leon S. Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Rebecca Chambers. The film opens with Leon on a mission to rescue Dr. Antonio Taylor, a scientist kidnapped while working on classified bioweapon research. At the same time, Chris and Jill investigate a mysterious T-virus outbreak spreading through San Francisco, with victims showing bite marks from an unknown creature. Their separate investigations converge when all clues lead to Alcatraz Island, where a new form of bio-organic terror awaits.
Directed by Eiichirō Hasumi and produced by Capcom and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan, the film was animated by Quebico, the same studio behind Resident Evil: Vendetta. Screenwriter Makoto Fukami returned to script the film. Like some of the other entries, Death Island has very mixed reviews. If you’re a longtime fan, you’ll probably enjoy this one far more than if you were new to the series.
Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
Another in the live-action category, Resident Evil: Extinction, is set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by the T-virus and follows Alice as she joins a caravan of survivors trekking across the Nevada desert. Along the way, they encounter increasingly dangerous creatures and Umbrella’s relentless agents. Though the story may not be the most unique, the cloned Alice Project plot B is pretty compelling, and the cinematography (David Johnson) is outstanding.
As far as box office success goes, Extinction performed very well. It was the number one film at the box office on opening weekend. By January 1, 2008, the film had grossed $148 million worldwide. Critic reviews were fairly mixed here, with some absolutely wrecking the film and others calling it surprisingly engaging.
How we picked the best Resident Evil movies
When it comes to Resident Evil, there’s no shortage of films, from Paul W.S. Anderson’s action-heavy live-action series to the more faithful (and fan-favorite) CG adaptations. To narrow things down, we looked at both fan and critic consensus. We focused on which movies best capture the spirit of the games while still standing on their own as entertaining horror or action flicks.
