Evil Dead Rise was just released and already is set to be a big hit at the box office. This film takes the franchise to a new setting: an apartment building in a city in California. It is definitely different from a cabin in the woods but it leaves us with new scenarios and new scares.
The story involves Beth who pays a visit to her estranged sister Ellie and her three kids. When one of the kids accidentally unleashes hell on earth, the family must band together to face the demons that have them trapped.
When a new movie comes out that is already a part of a successful franchise, there is thought of how it will please fans and what they can bring new to the table. Evil Dead Rise is not a sequel and it isn’t really a remake either. It basically is an Evil Dead Movie that takes place in a new environment.
This is a Mean-Spirited Movie
The original Evil Dead films definitely have more of a comedic tone to them while the 2013 remake took a more serious approach. Both are very gory. Evil Dead Rise does a very good job of aiming to please every type of Evil Dead fan.
We get the traditional type of demon(deadite) who is not only here to destroy but to cause chaos in sometimes humorous ways. We also get some serious gore that comes with some serious dread. The movie is mean-spirited in the way that it doesn’t care who it hurts and how they get hurt. It is a grossly depraved film that never takes itself too seriously. If anything, the over-the-top gore and harm makes for a better movie because we truly don’t know how this story will end and who will be left standing.
The effects are some of the best in the franchise. You feel every hit, every stab, everything. There are plenty of references to the other Evil Dead films that fans will have fun pointing out. There are also some references to other horror classics as well.
What people might miss the most is Bruce Campbell, who for a long time has been the heart and soul of this franchise. Director Lee Cronin pays homage to that but still respectfully shows us how far the Evil Dead movies can go with brand-new ideas.
The Acting
We don’t get too much backstory or character development from some of the family members, specifically from some of the kids, but what we do get from the sisters makes up for it. Every performance overall is good but the standout is definitely Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie.
It is no spoiler that Ellie, who is the mom of the kids, gets possessed and she has a lot to do and she nails it. She comes off as humorous in one moment and horrifying in another. Her physical performance definitely will stand tall among one of the best in recent years of horror.
Overall
Evil Dead Rise is a blood-soaked good time that will please fans of the Evil Dead franchise and will bring in new fans as well. As long as these new fans don’t mind some mean-spirited horror. The acting is great. The gore is beautiful and the scares and ideas here are quick and developed well. It is exciting to see a new Evil Dead film in theatres and I look forward to seeing where this franchise goes next.
Evil Dead Rise is now playing in theaters.
