George A. Romero's Resident Evil Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

George A. Romero's Resident Evil Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 18, 2026

We live in a world where seven “Resident Evil” movies exist (another one is due out later this year). It’s a horror/action franchise that’s managed to endure rough critical assessment and uneven box office returns over the years, but brand recognition is mighty, with the video game adaptation managing to pull in viewers no matter the quality of the productions. This cinematic universe is largely credited to writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson, who oversaw the creation of first chapter (released in 2002) and continued on throughout most of the series. However, Anderson and his highly debatable creative talents only arrived when production company Constantin Film attempted to make a “Resident Evil” feature with George A. Romero, the man behind “Night of the Living Dead.” Romero helped to establish the zombie subgenre, and his work inspired Capcom to create a video game that highlighted frights with the undead and the monstrous. “George A. Romero’s Resident Evil: The Documentary of the Unmade Film” investigates this aborted take on the franchise, with co-writer/director Brandon Salisbury examining the evidence left behind from Romero’s days on the project, putting together an understanding of creative and tonal directions ultimately ignored by Anderson.

“George A. Romero’s Resident Evil” is quick to note that Romero only spent a year on the production, reportedly fired by Constantin Film and boss Bernd Eichinger. Salisbury attempts to follow the road to such an event, spending most of the first act focusing on Romero and his early filmmaking achievements. Moving from commercial work around Pittsburgh to a plan for a feature, Romero and his team created 1968’s “Night of the Living Dead,” submitting a shocking study of zombie horror that changed cinema, giving Romero a shot at a career he so deeply wanted, and one that allowed for creative independence. “George A. Romero’s Resident Evil” spends time examining the helmer’s professional achievements, highlighting his determination to add social commentary to his work, helping to elevate the movies, giving them a little more substance. With 1978’s “Dawn of the Dead,” Romero’s influence blossomed, giving young viewers and aspiring filmmakers a shot of inspiration as horror developed into event cinema in the 1980s.

In the 1990s, Capcom began development on “Biohazard” (which would be titled “Resident Evil” outside of Japan), and the 1996 release of the first game was a triumph for the industry and the company, which was saved from financial ruin by the success of the title. “George A. Romero’s Resident Evil” also investigates the creation of the game, which was partially inspired by “Dawn of the Dead,” also including live-action sequences to help sell the gaming experience as something more cinematic, allowing fans to control their own horror movie. Salisbury does a commendable job with “Resident Evil” history, identifying the importance of the game and the significance of its success, putting Capcom on a quest to deliver as many sequels as possible to keep the cash flowing. They also quickly sold off the film rights to Constantin Film in 1997, with hopes to launch a big screen adaptation right away.

Romero’s involvement with “Resident Evil” was born when he was hired to make a commercial for the release of “Resident Evil 2,” putting the filmmaker in charge of a pricey production, returning to his old zombie ways. “George A. Romero’s Resident Evil” pays close attention to this event and its impact on fans, returning viewers to the days of online rumors and reports. Salisbury collects an assortment of interviewees who were there at the time, turning to scholars and fans to best articulate the excitement surrounding Romero’s involvement in anything “Resident Evil.” Also at this time, Constantin Film had a script in the making, and “George A. Romero’s Resident Evil” launches an extensive understanding of the draft and its evolution, with Romero eventually brought in to create his own take on the brand name.

“George A. Romero’s Resident Evil” eventually becomes a study of drafts and ideas, with Salisbury putting storytelling momentum on hold to examine what exactly Constantin Film wanted and what Romero delivered with his writing, spending a month generating a take that was closer to the game in character and creature encounters, keeping the endeavor as violent as possible. While it is interesting to learn about Romero’s creative choices, the documentary gets bogged down in details, slowly exploring various scripts and their differences from the source material. It’s a lot, and perhaps fans of the game will be most interested in Eichinger’s quest to eliminate the creepiness of “Resident Evil” simply because he didn’t understand it. “George A. Romero’s Resident Evil” also highlights Romero’s early creative decisions, including the assembly of a special effects team to produce monsters and zombies, preparing to create a picture with vivid, game-centric encounters.

George A. Romero's Resident Evil Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation (1.85:1 aspect ratio) for "George A. Romero's Resident Evil" offers a decent look at interviewees, with skin particulars on fans and scholars passably textured, along with their clothing choices. Zombie additions are appreciable, exploring torn, bloodied appearances. Recreations carry some depth. Color is agreeable, favoring a cooler look to fit the horror tone of the subject, with golden lighting as well. Delineation is acceptable. Compression issues are periodic, and posterization is also encountered.

George A. Romero's Resident Evil Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix remains fairly active for a documentary, with some effort to make things a bit more sonically exciting. Interview footage remains consistent, maintaining clear voices from a variety of people. Narration and podcast recordings are also understood. Scoring selections support with passable emphasis, and musical moods feed into the surrounds at times. A more circular sense of engagement is also found with atmospherics and certain audio samples, adding directionality to the listening event. Low-end isn't challenged.

George A. Romero's Resident Evil Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 1

• Commentary features director Brandon Salisbury and cinematographer Tom Robenolt.

• Roundtable Discussion (100:37) is a conversation about "George A. Romero's Resident Evil" with director Brandon Salisbury, cinematographer Tom Robenolt, and George A. Romero Foundation employee Matt Blazi.

• And a Trailer (1:39, HD) is included.

Disc 2

• Extended Interviews (HD) include Ben Rubin (53:06), Brandon Salisbury (11:32), Jim Krut (27:54), Matt Blazi (43:56), Michael Felsher (35:01), Pat Jankiewicz (42:48), and Tom Robenolt (7:15).

George A. Romero's Resident Evil Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Romero was eventually fired from the "Resident Evil" project, with Salisbury reinforcing the helmer's independent spirit, rubbed the wrong way by studio interference. A brief assessment of Anderson's vision for "Resident Evil" is provided, with the director practically eliminating all connections to the video game, rewarded with a few major box office triumphs for his effort. Salisbury doesn't linger on Anderson's take for too long, preferring to use screen time to celebrate Romero and his seemingly friendly ways with fans, also delivering a few unforgettable films during his career (a true assessment of the oeuvre isn't provided). "George A. Romero's Resident Evil" grows warm as it remembers the moviemaker, out to make sure viewers understand influence and character, which is appealing, and helps the endeavor pull out of notably dry stretches of the picture that seek to highlight the minutiae of creative changes and business decisions.