Evil Dead Rise
(Mirabai Pease, Richard Crouchley, Anna-Maree Thomas, Lily Sullivan, et al. | R | 1 hr 37 min | Warner Bros. Pictures)
Overview: In the fifth Evil Dead film, a road-weary Beth pays an overdue visit to her older sister Ellie, who is raising three kids on her own in a cramped L.A apartment. The sisters’ reunion is cut short by the discovery of a mysterious book deep in the bowels of Ellie’s building, giving rise to flesh-possessing demons, and thrusting Beth into a primal battle for survival as she is faced with the most nightmarish version of motherhood imaginable!
Verdict: In Evil Dead Rise, EVERYTHING deserves praise. The performances of the cast (especially the one of Sutherland), creepy, tense and frightening atmosphere, soundtrack, visual and sound effects, gore, violence and brutality, direction, screenplay, cinematography, and ending, which may set up for a sequel, are all excellent.
I mean, as a lifelong fan of the Evil Dead franchise, I absolutely loved this new addition. Gory beyond belief, imaginatively scary, and characters you care about long before the horror begins. My only complaint is the cheese grater scene. It was so built up in the trailer, yet what you see isn’t as bloody or shocking as you’re led to believe!
Despite that one little issue, the gore is top notch and this is by far the goriest one, with less humor and more brutality. Characters are truly put through the wringer, both Deadites and humans. Evil Dead Rise is sure to make you happy! It’s fast-paced and a rollercoaster ride of a horror movie, that’s for sure!
OK, well, regarding one little nitpick from me, the only thing that I criticize in Evil Dead Rise is the story and the lack of innovation in it and its elements. What I mean is that I hoped that the movie added some new major elements in the story. But unfortunately, that didn’t happen because the story is nearly the same as the previous installments.
Regardless, it must have been a physical tour-the-force for the whole crew, especially for the last-ones standing, who provide an absolutely breathtaking final showdown with the demon! [B.C.]