Evil Dead Rise

Evil Dead Rise

Good horrors are scarce these days. Evidently, there's not only a lack of capable directors but also of original ideas. It's no wonder, then, that the bigwigs of Hollywood studios occasionally delve into their archives, searching for once-successful material. This leads to nonsensical sequels and remakes. The Evil Dead franchise recently experienced this “fortune.”

The remake, although not a disaster, was far from the quality of the original. However, it seems to have earned enough dollars to justify filming its very loosely connected sequel.

From Cabin to Tenement

Evil Dead Rise doesn't directly follow the previous installment. It only shares the basic premise and the Necronomicon with the previous film. The book contains texts that can awaken very nasty things.

The original movies and the series with the same name boasted a unique horror atmosphere with a hint of comedy. However, the modern remakes do not continue this trend. What remains is only the title and a lot of blood.

The first few minutes of the film make it clear to the audience that this will not be a love story. The initial scenes, including a mole game and scalping a friend, are just a light appetizer before the main course.

Unlike the previous films, this installment is not set in a sinister-looking cabin but in a slowly crumbling tenement. The chosen location is the first significant flaw of this film. A wooden building surrounded by impenetrable forests is far more terrifying.

Quite a Meaty Story

The story begins with two sisters reuniting after years of estrangement. The reason for their reunion is the pregnancy of the younger sister, Beth, who spends the first third of the film trying to confide her troubles to her older sister, Ellie. This part of the film drags on and is quite dull.

When the interaction among family members becomes unbearable, an earthquake occurs, releasing a sound recording of a demon summoning along with the Necronomicon.

Of course, Ellie, the eldest offspring, immediately plays it at full volume, leading to a real massacre. Various family members and other residents of the building start to develop an uncontrollable craving for blood and fresh flesh.

The transformed creatures look really good, especially the older sister of the main character. Thanks to her, this film can be considered a quality work and not just another filler.

Fortunately, this scary lady stays in the frame until the end of the film, giving the audience something to look forward to.

Modern-Day Remake

Evil Dead Rise is no miracle and can't match the atmosphere of the original films. However, the change of setting is not the main reason. Even the modern-day remake, set in virtually the same cabin, was not a big hit in this regard.

The only thing this new iteration of the classic can score points with the audience is its brutality and a spectacular demoness. Surprisingly, that's enough for many people.