Written by Aisha Alli-Balogun
Is the Evil Dead Rise the perfect resurrection? Fair warning, there will be blood… A lot of it!
Just because Halloween is over, doesn’t mean that we can’t still revisit horror films.
We are revisiting the Evil Dead franchise with the new film Evil Dead Rise.
The movie instantly dives into action with a captivating cabin-in-the-woods opening sequence that reminds us of the first two movies.
The audience is then introduced to our main characters, Beth who is portrayed by Lily Sullivan.
She comes to Los Angeles to reunite with her sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) and her three kids, Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), Danny (Morgan Davies) and Kassie (Nell Fisher).
Suddenly, there is an earthquake and Danny discovers something of great terror below their block, he plays a piece of vinyl that sounds like a distorted haunting recital.
However, it is a big part of the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis which is an ancient book that summons demonic spirits but it’s too late to undo the damage.
Anyone who’s watched the previous films or has read reviews can already expect this film to be quite bloody in Ellie’s apartment and even the rest of the building as that’s where the majority of the film takes place.
The constant gory and blood are eye-catching as well as the action and death scenes, they come across as creative and fresh.
The film doesn’t forget to reference the previous films as well as other horror classics such as The Shining and Society but it stands out in its unique way.
The film provides an unorthodox take especially when it comes to showing scenes where limbs are torn out of their sockets and cheese graters and scissors become weapons.
The demon spirits also remain the playful evil villains they’ve always been but they are more spine-chilling in this film.
Another enjoyable element was how they used the practical effects – from an eyeball chew and spine cracking to a blood-filled elevator that created suspense for the audience but it was captivating through heightened performances from that cast that made the movie feel elevated.
That’s what makes this the best horror of the year, the perfect execution of scares, gore and dark humour.
Fans will fall in love with the franchise again as the movie provides a fresh take on a well-known story that is dripping with blood (and guts).
The director, Lee Cronin, created intriguing and powerful shots during the film.
The way he connects with the movie through doing more than just moving the camera around, it shifts, spins and even sometimes gets knocked on its side as if it’s running into a collision which takes the horror to another level for the audience.
You’d think it would be like every other cliche horror film but he always finds a way of surprising the audience with something imaginative but he created a new world through that peephole.
He broke down expectations of everything we thought we knew like the elevator in the
movie.
Evil Dead Rise is a well-paced, daring and thrilling film that provides compelling storytelling that is
slathered in blood but also offers a fun side that leaves us wanting more.
I definitely recommend it if you can stomach the final boss that gives off a cartoon vibe but is still haunting and gruesome.