Austin Abrams stars in “Resident Evil,” the latest film adaptation of the video game. (photo courtesy of Sony Pictures)

Without comparison, 2026’s “Resident Evil” is the best video game adaptation to grace the big screen. Don’t come at me just yet. Yes, some TV entries belong on top, like “Arcane” or “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners,” but this “Resident Evil,” the 12th film based on the Capcom horror franchise that began in 1996, has no equal amongst adaptations meant for theaters.

That’s hardly shocking from writer-director Zach Cregger (“Barbarian,” “Weapons”), whose third film at the helm is his most watchable, his most fun, his most gruesome. It might not enjoy narrative and thematic depth on par with his previous contributions, but it’s a lot funnier and faster paced. Adapting a video game seems like an odd choice following critical buzz around “Weapons,” including an Oscar win for its villain, but doubting Cregger is the only oddity here. He delivers an original that neatly fits into the gaming work’s lore.

You don’t need to know anything about a single “Resident Evil” game to dive into this standalone story. Just prepare for an outbreak that creates zombies and other body-horror delights. And if you do know the series well, this complements a particular game and presents a unique origin story, though explaining further would spoil     too much.

Medical courier Bryan (Austin Abrams) should just go home and have an important conversation with his partner. Instead, he takes on an extra delivery, a quick rush to Raccoon City. If you know the game, you know the hell this poor guy is about to experience in that metropolitan dystopia.

Soon enough, Bryan’s straightforward task encounters some resistance – a zombie here, mutated critters there and something gamers know well as a Revenant, while general spectators will probably remember as a gross-out monster. Half the fun is wondering what new horrors Bryan must face next – and just how much higher his scream’s pitch can reach.

Perhaps the most shocking part of “Resident Evil” isn’t all the slithering viral monsters or the raunchy gore. It’s the humor. Without demeaning the material or pulling focus from the thrills and monstrosity throughout the story, there’s always time to laugh. Austin Abrams (“Euphoria,” “Weapons”) is the perfect vessel. He is all of us in a similar situation. He can’t shoot a gun. He has no special skills. And he doesn’t want to go down that incredibly shady path only illuminated by an exit sign.

Part of the fun is watching what new horrors will Bryan (Austin Abrams) will face in “Resident Evil.” (photo courtesy of Sony Pictures)

Abrams keeps showing up everywhere and rightfully so. He presents us with the opposite of a standard action figure these films normally feature. But amidst his weaknesses and personal flaws, he’s a truly kind character.

Rather than run, he tries to help – no matter how disfigured the fellow former human he encounters might appear – even when the rest of us know his actions will invite more danger. Thanks to Abrams, such moments don’t feel like the standard bad decisions that plague dumber horror fare.

Instead, this character is naive, racked with guilt because he doesn’t want anyone to suffer. Considering Cregger’s affinity for pulling focus, switching leads halfway through the story or distributing lead duties to various characters, we get to know Bryan more than anyone else in a Cregger film.

Previous Cregger films addressed contemporary issues. “Barbarian” explored abuse and harassment, while “Weapons” rather directly tackled school shootings. His third film doesn’t have such lofty goals. It need not. An R&D company inadvertently causes a viral pandemic, and a regular guy gets thrown in the middle. That’s good enough.

But “Resident Evil” isn’t merely good enough. It might upset some diehard fans who want a purer adaptation of the games, while Cregger considers this film an original story that coincides with 1998’s “Resident Evil 2,” originally released for PlayStation. This one does its own thing, and it works insanely well.