Evil Dead Rise (A Review)

Return to the cabin in the woods and relive the classic Sam Raimi’s horror story. But that’s only the beginning! In this pre-requel, which is directed by Lee Cronin, produced by Raimi and Bruce Campbell, the Lovecraftian backstory of The Deadites is told from the perspective of Los Angeles city-dwellers. That’s something new! 

Buckle up and let the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, as stellar performances from Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie and Lily Sullivan as Ellie’s sister Beth follow the original format of the previous films. The actors go from incantation to an all-out gore-fest at breakneck speed. However, that is not at all to say the film is lacking.  

“Evil Dead Rise” may borrow heavily from the major beats of the original series, but it is uniquely fetching. Cronin’s expansion upon the canon answers some old questions and conjures new ones. Avoiding the pun, this gritty metropolitan reimagining of “The Evil Dead” (New Line Cinema 1981) has created itself, I think, the successful fodder for at least one future film. That is unless someone decides to deviate from what is clearly working. 

With that on the table, let’s cover what we didn’t like. I wanted more. As in I want to see more films like this because they’re so nostalgic.  

The gore was on par with previous iterations, but it serves as subtext to the unexpected morals of loss and letting go. The blood also makes the movie scary, which the original films were not (at least to me) entirely. So does the demonic possession, which is almost inescapable this time. 

Whether you’re a novice nightmare fuel aficionado—damn that word is hard to remember how to spell, thanks autocorrect—or if you’re a seasoned vet, “Evil Dead Rise” is a powerful addition to the horror genre. And you are going to find yourself wanting more, in an effective way. 

Enjoy and leave your comments! 

-- J.P.