Everyone's favourite gonzo horror franchise is back after a decade away from the big screen - but is it back with a bang?
Director: Lee Cronin
Starring: Mirabai Pease, Richard Crouchley, Anna-Maree Thomas
Running time: 97 minutes
“Contains: Strong Bloody Violence, Gore”. Not so much a warning; more ticking off the checklist of the ‘least we expect’. Evil Dead Rise is the latest instalment of the Evil Dead films which saw lots of campy fun, but still extreme, bloody violence in the eighties - and a robust remake of the original concept in 2013 (plus a television series and some video games). Now, approximately ten years after said remake, we have another addition to the Evil Dead universe - which is technically a sequel, but is definitely also a standalone story - and potentially opens this new era into a full blown franchise, if it isn't already.
Evil Dead Rise is about a guitar technician, Beth (played by Lily Sullivan), who has just been on tour with a band. Part-way through the tour, she discovers that she is pregnant, and now has conflicting feelings about having a child. Returning from tour, she visits her sister, Ellie (played by Alyssa Sutherland), who is a mother of three. Beth hopes Ellie can offer some solace or advice regarding her pregnancy, but instead discovers that she has recently gone through a divorce. And Beth was not there for her.
Ellie and her children also live several stories high, in an apartment building which is scheduled to be demolished in a few weeks, so they are in the process of moving. However, if that’s not bad enough, one of the children finds an unholy book and accidentally unleashes a powerful demon that possesses their mother - who tries to obliterate anyone she lays her eyes on.
It’s overwhelming, but that’s what we come to expect from the Evil Dead universe
Chaos in an enclosed, isolated, domestic environment ensues. Some of the visuals, despite being truly horrid, are actually quite stunning in terms of cinematography and direction. There is more than enough blood to surpass expectations, and a hell of a lot of gory violence to match. There is also enough skin-of-your-teeth survival to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Be ready to feel squeamish when the possessed bring terror to the family with their kitchen appliances.
Aside from the onslaught of brutality that this film offers, there are also many creepy and steadily suspenseful moments too. It winds the spring multiple times to great effect, which is a positive thing considering we know what the threat is. The fear comes from not knowing what this demonic creature is capable of, and not knowing to what extent the book has to being part of the whole debacle.
What differs from other Evil Dead films, however, is a display of the fragility that comes with family. It’s a distressing thing watching the moment Ellie realises she’ll never truly see her children again, broken away just as easily as flesh comes from bone. In fact, isolation is potent with the lingering loss of their abandoning father, the impending destruction of their home wiping all evidence of the horrors within the walls, and Beth not even knowing if she wants to be a mother.
It’s overwhelming, but that’s what we come to expect from the Evil Dead universe: Rivers of red. But these protagonists aim to survive the horrors and bring their loved ones with them. It’s a shame a demonic power has a similar agenda. You saw the title and you want blood? Evil Dead Rise will certainly scratch that itch. Just try not to let it break the skin when it does.
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