Evil Dead Rise (2023) Warner Bros./Horror RT: 97 minutes Rated R (strong bloody horror violence and gore, some language) Director: Lee Cronin Screenplay: Lee Cronin Music: Stephen McKeon Cinematography: Dave Garbett Release date: April 21, 2023 (US) Cast: Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher, Richard Crouchley, Mirabai Pease, Anna-Maree Thomas, Jayden Daniels, Billy Reynolds-McCarthy, Tai Wano, Mark Mitchinson, Noah Paul. Box Office: $67.2M (US)/$147M (World)
Rating: ***
One of the greatest joys of Sam Raimi’s original Evil Dead trilogy (Evil Dead 2 in particular) is how he gets the backstory out of the way within the first few minutes so he can get the thrill ride rolling. It’s a big part of the giddy fun provided by these cartoon-like scary movies. I wish writer-director Lee Cronin (The Hole in the Ground) followed suit with Evil Dead Rise. Instead of jumping right in with both feet, the first act consists mainly of set-up and exposition. I get why, but Raimi’s energy is sorely missed during these early scenes. It’s okay though. Once the movie gets rolling, it doesn’t let up.
Although the fifth installment in the series, I hesitate to call Evil Dead Rise a sequel because it doesn’t really connect with any of Raimi’s classics or the worthy 2013 reboot. That is, other than the basic premise of somebody releasing demons into the world after reading incantations from an evil book. It happens again, only this time in a condemned Los Angeles high rise. How the book finds its way there is a mystery that might be explored somewhere down the road. Right now, you just need to accept the idea that it’s there, hidden in an old bank vault buried underneath the foundation.
The Book of the Dead is found by a teenage boy, Danny (Davies, The Tree), who lives in the building with his single mom Ellie (Sutherland, Vikings) and two sisters, Bridget (Echols, Reminiscence) and Kassie (Fisher, Northspur). On this night, they receive an unexpected visit from Ellie’s sister Beth (Sullivan, Picnic at Hanging Rock), a self-described “guitar technician” (sis calls her a “groupie”) running from yet another problem- i.e. an unwanted pregnancy. Of course, this would be the night that all hell breaks loose what with an earthquake, a blackout, no phone service and Ellie coming down with a sudden case of demonic possession. Those darn Deadites! They always show up at the worst time.
Due to her big sister’s condition, it’s up to Beth to protect the kids. This is the part where she discovers the maternal instincts she didn’t know she had. Good thing she’s a natural born fighter. And it’s going to be one hell of a fight. You see, it’s not easy to take down a Deadite. Just ask Ash, the hapless hero played by Bruce Campbell in the OG trilogy. Before the night is over, Ellie will have amassed a nice body count, most of them her neighbors. Come on now, this is NOT a spoiler. We all know neighbors are expendable in movies like this.
There’s fun to be had with Evil Dead Rise, but not all of it works. The pregnancy subplot is underdeveloped and doesn’t really go anywhere. Then there’s the opening sequence at a cabin in the woods. It takes place a day after the events in L.A. essentially making the movie one big flashback. A scene at the very end explains the opening and let me tell you, it’s not that big a deal. It’s one of those “oh” moments.
Raimi isn’t the only one whose absence is felt. Bruce Campbell has always been the star of the show in the Evil Dead canon. He cemented his status with the utterance of a single word- “Groovy”- in the second film. It ultimately became his catchphrase. He’s the cool horror movie hero. He’s replaced in Evil Dead Rise by Beth. She’s fine, but nothing about her really stands out, not even the whole bad ass rocker chick thing. Yes, it’s great when she goes all Ash with a chainsaw in the bloody finale, but it’s only a tool in her hands as opposed to part of the body. That’s another thing missing from Evil Dead Rise, the zany sense of humor brought by Raimi and Campbell (both of whom serve as executive producers here). Despite a few scattered laughs, it takes itself a little too seriously for its own good.
Okay, enough about the film’s liabilities; let’s talk about what makes it good. Like I said earlier, it takes Evil Dead Rise a little while to get going. Once it kicks into full throttle, it kind of rocks. Gorehounds (like me!) will be especially pleased. This one is mad gory. Highlights include somebody being attacked with a cheese grater (OUCH!), somebody being impaled through the mouth, several bloody stabbings and an elevator scene that outdoes The Shining. By the end, everybody is drenched in blood. YES! This is the kind of horror I like.
While the CGI in Evil Dead Rise is decent, I miss the practical effects of the first two movies. The first one especially features low-budget FX that look awesome. Nevertheless, there are some truly terrifying moments like the scene involving Ellie and an air vent. I also have to hand it to Cronin for NOT sparing the teens from the possibility of doomed fates. Everybody is fair game here, even the cute little girl who takes playing with dolls to a new level.
Although I really like Evil Dead Rise, there’s no denying it’s the weakest entry in the series. It doesn’t need all that backstory. And while it has some crazy cinematography and camera angles, it contains only a fraction of Raimi’s wild energy. Perhaps he ought to involve himself more in the creative aspects of future installments. He has a special way about him that can’t be replicated.
