Evil Dead Rise

Evil Dead Rise Gives Series Fans A Fresh Take And Plenty Of Gore Usually when a film series is embarking on a fifth outing the challenges of keeping things fresh and original yet being new and creative can be a massive obstacle. Horror series ranging  from “Halloween” to “Friday the 13th”, “SAW”, and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” all faced issues with moving the series along yet trying to stay true to the original film that inspired them and in every case; failing to fully capture what made the original film a hit. “Evil Dead Rise” is not only the latest entry into the series but a bold take on the cinematic series as it abandons the remote cabin setting of the first two films and the reboot in favor of an urban setting. The film does open in a remote lakeside locale before jumping a day earlier to California where estranged sisters Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) and Beth (Lilly Sullivan) reunite. Beth has been working as a guitar technician and bristles that her sister refers to her as a groupie. Ellie is raising three children after their father left and informs her sister that the building they are living in is scheduled to be demolished so they will have to move soon which is a shock to Beth as she has learned that she is pregnant and is trying to figure out her life all the while seeing what she thought would be a source of stability for her upended. The arrival of an earthquake allows access to a hidden area in the parking garage of their building and since the locale was a former bank; the kids soon find a hidden book and records which the only son Danny (Morgan Davies) hopes he can sell despite his sister Bridget (Gabrielle Echols) admonishing him constantly to leave it alone and return it to where it was found. The book turns out to be a Necronomicon or “Book of the Dead” and as fans of the series know; nothing good ever comes from one and thanks to playing old records left by a Priest describing his thoughts on the book; a summoning incantation is read and this causes Ellie to become possessed and unleash grotesque carnage and terror on her family. What follows is a gory and at times intense game of cat and mouse punctuated by moments of levity as the demonic infestation knows no end. The film has the over-the top- gore that is expected of the series and the makeup and effects are very effective. Writer? Director Lee Cronin has done a great job capturing the tone of the series while moving it forward as he cleverly incorporates lines and nods to the series without making them seem forced. Some may find the excess of blood too much but the series has always been known for taking things to the extreme as the blend of horror and comedic parody is what made the original film such a success. In the end “Evil Dead Rise” does enough to keep fans of the series happy and hopefully, we will be seeing a new entry in the series in the future. 3.5 stars out of 5

Evil Dead Rise puts a creative spin on the classic franchise while also remaining faithful to the core experience. The story is not overly complex and admittedly somewhat generic, as the main characters find the Book of the Dead, read it, and all hell breaks loose. But the conditions surrounding this plot are what truly set it apart. For one, the high-rise setting was brilliant and created a very claustrophobic environment that worked really well. I found the earthquake to be an original idea not only for the discovery of The Necronomicon but also for the entrapment of our main characters. Speaking of our cast, this film does a really great job of setting up these characters. I genuinely liked all of them, which made it difficult to see some of them go, unlike in Evil Dead (2013). The familiar bond between them was palpable, and this could not have been done without a fantastic cast. Alyssa Sutherland is by far my favorite Deadite in the entire franchise. Her motherly connection was haunting, her facial expressions, and mannerisms are nightmare fuel. Lily Sullivan was genuinely fantastic as a final girl. Her badass nature to defend the children is incredible, and she had some really great moments to stand out in the film. The kids overall did fine, nothing that was too amazing but nothing that took away from the film either. The direction was my favorite part of the film by far. Lee Cronin did such a fantastic job with haunting camera work with subtle tilts and use of reflections. The action was top-notch, and the practical effects were amazing. So many scenes had me physically wincing with some insanely creative violence mixed with stomach-churning blood and wound effects. It is definitely a worthy successor to Evil Dead (2013) in the gore department. Overall, this may not be the best in the franchise, but I think it is one of the most refined. The story lacks in some areas, but the direction, performances, and violence really cement this as one of the best horror films of the year. Score: 84% ✅ Verdict: Great

As contemporary horror films go, I’ll freely admit that this is a genre about which I couldn’t care less. I find most of these films boring, predictable, stupid and not especially scary. In fact, the only ones to which I’ll even give a second look are smart horror films (like “Get Out” (2017) or “Annihilation” (2018)) or campy romps (like “Renfield” (2023)). So the fact that I somehow managed to sit through this trash heap is quite an accomplishment. (Actually, the only reason I watched was because I was channel surfing and there was nothing else on, so I decided to give it a chance (I would have been better turning on the radio).) This pointless parade of endless blood and gore is a prime example of the decline of the mainstream movie industry (how projects like this get greenlighted is beyond me, except, of course, for the obvious box office considerations). It’s so utterly ridiculous that the picture plays like something that was made up as the crew went along. I’ll admit that there was some modestly cheeky humor here, but not enough to make it a genuine camp fest. Writer-director Lee Cronin’s latest is an assault on the art of filmmaking, the kind that should carry fines and other punishments. My goodness, what has this industry come to?