Fans of the franchise will be happy to hear the legacy lives on and bathes in all its own bloody glory in Lee Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise. These past few years have seen barriers broken down in the horror genre, with some even comparing the genre’s recent successes to the 80’s, where we saw many popular Horror franchises rise to fame and become the icons we know and love today. One such iconic franchise was born out of a small indie flick known as The Evil Dead by soon-to-be legends Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell.
The Evil Dead Strike Back
If you ever find yourself in a situation similar to any of the Evil Dead films, the last place you’re ever going to want to be is a damn Cabin. Well now you apparently aren’t even safe in the comfort of your own apartment. When we’re introduced to our tight knit group of tenants in Evil Dead Rise, you can feel the familial chemistry as well as on overwhelming sense of dread due to the fact that we all know what’s coming but don’t want to see this already struggling family go through more than they already have, the movie quickly gets you engrossed in these characters hastily letting you know who they are and what they’re about.
Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan are the standouts here in possibly the two most crucial roles of the film. Sutherland, as seen in the marketing in the single mother turned deadite, that’s the first to go, and man does she commit to this role, one of the most terrifying and downright diabolical antagonists seen in the franchise yet, she absolutely devours her screen time, amongst other things. Sullivan herself shows the audience what she’s made of, quickly picking up the reins put down by the legendary demon slayer Ash Williams. She’s incredibly fierce and has the perfect amount of crazy in her eyes that would’ve put Bruce Campbell out of a job back in 1987. If anyone were to put this franchise on their shoulders, I’d be more than delighted to hear that Sullivan would be the one to carry it into the apocalypse
Came for the Gore, Stayed for the Lore
Evil Dead Rise is not a remake; I’m not even sure if it would be appropriate to call it a reboot. It certainly brings the franchise back, but it feels more appropriate to look at it as more of a continuation of the franchise, and director Lee Cronin agrees. One of my personal favorite parts about the one was how it felt like another corner of the universe was unlocked and mysteries introduced in Army of Darkness were a bit closer to being answered. Cronin himself confirmed that the Necronomicon we see here is the final, third book within the Evil Dead universe. While not overly important, it was fun, and I loved how it was introduced to the story and particularly the way it is explored and expanded.
Okay, I Stayed for the Gore too
To say that this film is bloody would be an understatement; if there was a way for blood to be bloody, the team behind this film would find a way. This movie is in no way for the faint of heart, whether it be chewing glass or a cheese grater or just straight up slut-shaming, this movie has it all. Truly unbound by their limitations, this film continuously finds new ways to have you squirming in your seat due to how uncomfortable and barbaric whatever is unfolding on the screen is. It’s not just the blood either, the body horror here is intense, the cracking and bending of things you didn’t know could or even should crack and bend is unsettling and just kicks things into the next gear.
Just to reiterate, when I say the Deadites are unbound from their limitations, I mean it, and bravo to having hid this in the marketing because towards the end of the film, there is something so unhinged and insane that my jaw dropped.
Honors and Homages
Lee Cronin’s style of directing for Evil Dead Rise feels almost akin to that of Sam Raimi’s while also being its own unique style. It’s creative and fun and adds a fun energy to the film that at times will have you on the edge of your seat and at other times relishing in how campy this franchise can be. Rise finds the perfect balance in the franchise. While The Evil Dead and Evil Dead could be seen as much more serious horror flicks, Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, and Ash Vs Evil Dead are obviously very much more comedic in tone. Rise does a good job of making the film feel like the 2013 reboot with a healthy helping of deadite banter that’ll surely get a good amount of laughs out of the audience.
‘Evil Dead Rise’ – Final Thoughts
The Necronomicon has never been in better hands as Director Lee Cronin ushers in a bloody new chapter to this vicious franchise that will have you cringing from gore one second to laughing the next. Evil Dead Rise has a stellar cast, a simple story, and a heaping helping of violence lead to an incredibly enjoyable yet harrowing time at the theater.
Evil Dead Rise is now out in movie theaters worldwide. Check out the trailer below:
The Review
'Evil Dead Rise' Review
The Necronomicon has never been in better hands as Director Lee Cronin ushers in a bloody new chapter to this vicious franchise that will have you cringing from gore one second to laughing the next. A stellar cast, a simple story, and a heaping helping of violence lead to an incredibly enjoyable yet harrowing time at the theater.
