With a new movie now out in the wild I’ve decided that it is time to rank all the best Resident Evil movies. That’s right, from Milla Jovovich’s outing as Alice in Paul W. S. Anderson’s movies to all the reboots set in Raccoon City (including Zach Cregger’s new Resident Evil flick), you’ll find all eight T-Virus-inflicted films ordered from worst to most entertaining right here.
But before you dive into this ranking, first a disclaimer: even as a massive fan of these flicks and of the Resident Evil games, I will say that these aren’t masterpieces in the traditional sense. I’ve seen every single Resi movie and can honestly tell you that only a few are coherent. Most only reference the best Resident Evil games, and none adapt them faithfully. However, they are a ton of fun, and at this point, iconic in the realm of video game movies in general. Whenever I’m looking for a B-Movie that I know is going to be wild and action heavy I still go back to the Resident Evil movies, and still recommend them (well, at least some) wholeheartedly.
So, if you want to take a trip down memory lane or want your Umbrella Corporation fix while avoiding the truly bad zombies of the bunch, then read on to find out what I believe are the best Resident Evil movies to watch right now and what are the worst. And if you are also a massive fan, let me know your personal rankings in the comment section below.
The best Resident Evil movies, ranked from worst to best
8. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
Year: 2021
Director: Johannes Roberts
Before the 2026 Resident Evil movie, in 2021, they tried to reboot the Resi franchise with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. Now, I will say that there are a lot of game tidbits added in this movie as it draws on the first and second Capcom games. But, even with zombies and iconic characters trying to survive, it’s for the most part pretty boring and just not that scary.
The script feels painfully generic, the characters’ dialogue is corny, and even when you spot scenes from the game, instead of being excited, I was often disappointed because the games simply did it so much better. Also, as a Leon S. Kennedy fangirl, I will admit I have a bias against the film because of its portrayal of the agent. Seeing a version of Leon who is supposedly an incompetent cop, paired with bad CGI and a surprising lack of pacing and stakes, cements Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City as the worst Resi movie to date.
7. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Year: 2017
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
The final Paul W. S. Anderson Resident Evil movie wraps up Alice’s story and is the director’s worst one. The story has pretty much been abandoned at this point, and instead the film is filled with action scenes and an eyebrow-raising amount of jump scares that, because of their frequency, become annoying instead of scary very quickly. I will also say that if you get motion sick easily, this isn’t going to be the Resident Evil movie for you since its editing is wild and so frantic you can’t tell what is going on at times.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is full of Easter eggs and fan service, but another reason why it’s ranked so low on my list is that it completely takes the wind out of the ending of Retribution. We were set to see the fight to protect the White House, and the movie opens up with it already having happened off-screen…great. All in all, it’s not fun enough to indulge in, and as a send-off to the franchise, it just underdelivers.
6. Resident Evil: Retribution
Year: 2012
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Resident Evil: Retribution’s story is again another mess; however, it is at least very wacky and a lot more enjoyable than its successor, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. My main issue with this film is that the characters lack clear goals beyond simply trying to survive, and after four movies, that simply feels overdone at this point. Sure, there are also some clone storylines going on, but that isn’t really explored in any kind of depth either.
However, despite my gripes, I have to give praise to some great choreographed action scenes here that really make Milla Jovovich shine. Also, I personally love the Umbrella Corporation training facility moments in terms of striking visuals and memorable action set pieces we get in the entire franchise. Also, its opening sequence is one of the most successful and original moments in the films. Still, I can’t in good faith rank it higher because there really is no story structure here, and at some points it’s even incomprehensible.
5. Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Year: 2004
Director: Alexander Witt
Resident Evil: Apocalypse is personally my favorite Resident Evil movie and has become a cult classic and fan favorite film in recent years. It does technically suffer from the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score out of all the films, but that was a case of bad timing since we only had the first film to judge it by. In retrospect, it is miles better and more enjoyable than the majority of its predecessors by an undead landslide.
Structurally, it is the most successful sequel as its story (while generic) actually makes sense. It also introduces Jill Valentine and Nemesis for game fans. Jill is one of the most charismatic characters in the franchise by far, and from the moment we see Nemesis firing a mini machine gun, we know we are in for a good time. Resident Evil: Apocalypse is wacky, and it takes big, smile-inducing action swings. If you are after just a silly good time in Raccoon City, I highly recommend this one. But be warned, you aren’t going to get a narrative masterpiece here either.
4. Resident Evil: Extinction
Year: 2007
Director: Russell Mulcahy
OK, so firstly let’s get one thing out of the way: Resident Evil: Extinction has some very clear Mad Max vibes going on with its Mojave Desert setting, and seems to be channeling Day of the Dead more than Resident Evil. However, it also has some amazing action scenes, choreography, and features the Tyrant from the games, so you have to give it credit. It is also one of the few Resi movies that really manage to capture the B-movie charm that makes these fun at the end of the day.
The movie’s script is still a mess; the characters (especially the game characters) are disappointingly hollow and generic, but all the creative kills and fights make this movie feel punchy by the time the credits start to roll. It is silly, but it isn’t boring, and Alice really shines as a character in this flick. It’s a great reminder as to why Milla Jovovich was chosen as the face of the series; she has the charisma and skills of an action hero in spades.
3. Resident Evil: Afterlife
Year: 2010
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Out of all the Resident Evil movies, Resident Evil: Afterlife feels the most like a traditional zombie movie as we follow Alice still navigating a wasteland of a world following Extinction, so it has a special place in my heart. While it does suffer from the same plot issues as the rest of the flicks in this franchise, it does manage to capture that feeling of dread that will keep your eyes hooked on the screen. This is largely thanks to some amazing fight sequences that are the best in the franchise and keep you on your toes.
Now I will say, the reason why Afterlife is ranked so high here is because of how entertaining it is. Similarly to Apocalypse, it gives enough for action movie fans to love and enough game tidbits for Resi fans to gush over as well. Albert Wesker is the best version of himself in this movie, with Shawn Roberts giving us the most dedicated and gleeful rendition of the baddie to date. If you are a game fan, witnessing Wesker in this flick is a must; trust me.
2. Resident Evil
Year: 2002
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
The movie that started it all, the 2002 Resident Evil movie, at this point is a pop culture icon and still the most enjoyable of all the Paul W. S. Anderson-directed films in the franchise. This is also the only Resi movie (apart from the new 2026 reboot) that is a horror movie first and an action flick second, as its setting of the underground facility called the Hive successfully builds up feelings of dread and the sense that something will pop out to attack our heroes at any moment.
It’s a lot smaller and more contained than the sequels, but that is what makes it work so well, as the feeling of claustrophobia adds to the terror. It also captures what we all love about the Resident Evil games: feeling constantly on edge whenever you walk into a confined space, not knowing what bizarre mutant will jump out of the shadows. Alice is also at her most interesting in this film, with Milla Jovovich giving a great performance. And, lastly, that laser corridor death scene is still one of the best kills in cinema, so gotta show some respect.
1. Resident Evil (2026)
Year: 2026
Director: Zach Cregger
The latest Resident Evil movie is also the very best (as we mentioned in our Resident Evil movie review). Director Zach Cregger (Weapons) is a self-proclaimed Resident Evil superfan, and despite the controversial absence of game characters like Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield, Cregger’s back-to-basics survival horror reboot is a more authentic Resident Evil experience than any previous installment, as hapless hero Bryan encounters all manner of horrid, T-Virus-infected creatures across Raccoon City. Best of all, it’s a taut, unrelenting 95-minute thrill-ride that’s paced to perfection.
Prioritizing horror over action, it’s a movie that wants you to feel the tension and fear of pressing ahead with only three bullets in the clip, as the groan of some unseen BOW echoes from the shadows. It’s also very funny; Bryan is hopelessly out of his depth and spends as much time screaming as he does shooting. Cregger incorporates the language of the games in some cool ways too: the camera frequently flips between a third and first-person perspective, Bryan is constantly coming up against environmental obstacles like padlocks and treacherous ledges that need to be shimmied across, and, of course, it all builds to a climax in a sterile white Umbrella lab. Cregger gets it.
Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil movie is currently out in cinemas. If you want more spooky fun, be sure to check out our list of the best horror movies of all time and the best zombie movies to watch today.