After the release of Army of Darkness in 1992, the series laid dormant, although there were talks of another sequel. Following years of development hell, audiences were treated with a remake in 2013 from first-time director Fede Álvarez. The remake received primarily positive reviews and was a commercial hit, grossing $97.5 million against a $17 million budget. With the renewed interest in the property, Raimi’s Army of Darkness 2 became the Ash vs. Evil Dead TV series. While a sequel to Álvarez’s remake was discussed, these plans were scrapped, but a new film was announced in 2019. Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Bruce Campbell would produce, with Lee Cronin (The Hole in the Ground) as director. The movie was filmed in New Zealand in 2021 and was slated for a direct-to-streaming release on HBO Max. However, after positive test screenings, Evil Dead Rise got a theatrical release in April 2023.
%
Rating
Synopsis
Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) is a single mother raising her kids Danny (Morgan Davies), Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and Kassie (Nell Fisher). She gets a visit from her sister Beth (Lily Sullivan), who recently found out she was pregnant. An earthquake at their apartment building opens a hole leading to an underground vault that Danny decides to investigate. He finds a strange book and some vinyl records and brings them to the apartment to learn more. The records are recordings that reveal the book is the Naturom Demonto, roughly translated as the Book of the Dead. The book was found by priests who translated it secretly and recorded the chants, which awakened an ancient evil. Said evil possesses Ellie and soon spreads throughout the apartment complex as Beth tries to protect the kids. Will our heroes survive the night or end up dead by dawn?
Review
Given my love of the series, I was very skeptical when I first saw the trailers for Evil Dead Rise. The movie didn’t look bad, but it felt more like a generic possession movie with “Evil Dead” in the title. Thankfully, Lee Cronin’s entry stands on its own and does the series justice. His directing is incredible, mixing some of Sam Raimi’s camerawork while adding a unique flair. Also, the performances all across the board are fantastic, with Alyssa Sutherland and Lilly Sullivan being the standouts. Sullivan shines as the reluctant but dependable hero who rises to the challenge to take on the Deadites. Sutherland wholly owns the role of the demon-possessed Ellie, mixing a playful charm with a sinister edge. Even the kids perform well in this, which is rare, especially in a horror film. Plus, the other tenets have their little moments to shine.
Since this is an Evil Dead movie, you’d expect tons of bloody carnage, which this movie delivers. Like the original, this one doesn’t rely solely on gore but instead mixes it with genuine dread and suspense. In keeping with tradition, almost all of the effects are practical, a welcome change from today’s CGI-filled landscape. Roughly 6,500 liters of fake blood were made for this film, and they used every ounce of it on screen. A few references to the original films are also sprinkled in, but it feels more earnest and heartfelt than pandering. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t have the same B-movie charm as the original or Evil Dead II, which is disappointing. Still, at roughly 97 minutes, the movie delivers what fans want while telling a heartfelt story about a broken family. Overall, Evil Dead Rise honors what came before while standing on its own as something special.
Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
