I don’t know if this is a hot take or not, but I think there have been precisely zero bad Evil Dead movies. In fact, I’d go as far as to say all of them have been great films. I’ll even throw in the Ash Vs. Evil Dead series into the mix, and it still changes nothing. So, as you can imagine, the new entry into the series, Evil Dead Rise, which comes from franchise newcomer Lee Cronin absolutely rules. Similarly to the 2013 remake, the film manages to be an unmistakable Evil Dead film with subtle nods to satisfy longtime fans while also going for something wholly it’s own.
The film follows Beth (Lily Sullivan), a touring guitar technician who goes to visit her sister, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), a single mother of three – Danny (Morgan Davies), Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and the youngest, Kassie (Nell Fisher). The sisters have a somewhat estranged relationship since Beth rarely communicates or involves herself in Ellie’s life, not even being aware that the father of the children has left them many months prior. Beth is of course dealing with her own anxieties as she finds out she is pregnant, and struggles in coming to terms with a potentially cataclysmic shift in her life.
But of course, this being the kind of movie that it is, things go from existentially bad to life-threatening fast when an earthquake leads to the discovery of an old vault under Ellie’s apartment complex containing religious artifacts and a mysterious record and book, which Danny is intrigued by. However, opening the book and playing the record leads to the arrival of a demonic force that enters the apartment, and takes over Ellie, which forces Beth to take responsibility and protect the kids as the threat of this demonic force grows increasingly sadistic in its blood lust. You know, classic Evil Dead stuff.
And for a lot of the film, it is very much classic Evil Dead stuff. Following some of the tropes you’d often see in remakequels, you’ll have your repeating of iconic lines, similar plot beats, other references and nods, etc. However, the film does just enough to provide a fresh experience. Changing the location to an apartment complex is a fun choice, it’s one of the most underrated horror settings, Satan’s Slaves 2: Communion is a great recent example. The film also adds a cool new element to the deadites that I don’t think we’ve really seen before, and I would rather you see it for yourself, so I won’t spoil it for you.
The gore is as spectacular as ever, leaning on the high-contrasting imagery, realistic prosthetics, and grungy aesthetics that defined the remake, and building on that foundation. The cinematography by Dave Garbett, who brings a lot of playfulness to the filmmaking, capturing that Raimi energy, but not to where its a full replication. It’s definitely a far cry from Cronin’s directorial debut, The Hole In The Ground, but the intimate moments do make an impression. It’s just an absolute delight, especially for people who love their gore.
I am very happy with how Evil Dead Rise turned out. It’s the kind of ruthless and relentless horror picture we rarely get to see in the big studio releases. Once the film gets going, it really does not stop. But it also doesn’t sacrifice character in the process, you really do come to care about the family, and seeing some of them get really hurt throughout the film is wild to see since we aren’t just dealing with grown adults anymore, there’s actual kids in danger. The performances are solid across the board, I love seeing the deadites be total shit-talkers, which is an element that felt more downplayed in the 2013 remake. It’s not a film that demands for much, it just wants to deliver a bloody good time, and that’s exactly what it ended up delivering.
Evil Dead Rise is now out in theares..