Evil Dead Rise is a bloody good time
After a decade of inactivity, the Evil Dead franchise returns to theaters with Evil Dead Rise, directed by Irish film writer and director Lee Cronin. Cronin’s most recent film was The Hole in the Ground, released back in 2019, which was met with mixed reviews, though I personally found it to be a solid film. Seeing Cronin’s style in other works made me excited for his take on the Evil Dead lore.
Notably, this film is not directed by the original director Sam Raimi, nor does it star Bruce Campbell as the beloved Ash Williams; this time around, franchise newcomers Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland both star as the two leads. The story revolves around two sisters who find a book that gives birth to bloodthirsty demons that are after their family, putting them into a primal race for survival.
Right at its start, the film introduces one of the most unique and stylistic title cards in recent memory. The story is also put more on the forefront than in past entries that cut straight to the blood and gore. We dive more into leading character Beth’s backstory with her music career, along with her sister Ellie’s struggles in their apartment building, which is closing down, and her strained relationship with her ex-boyfriend.
As you would expect if you have seen any of the previous installments, the gore in this movie is absolutely top notch. Rise includes all kinds of gore, from Deadites eating glass to probably the most gruesome scene in any horror film—a cheese grater is taken to a character’s leg wherein almost everyone in the theater got a little squeamish.
In the previous entries, characters were forced to kill anyone, from love interests to people they had no connection to. In Evil Dead Rise the stakes are raised, and it is family members against possessed family members—a refreshing renovation to the series.
Humor varies so much in all the films in the franchise, but the dark humor is perfect in this film compared to the slapstick humor in Evil Dead 2; this film, rather finds a sweet spot to make all viewers happy. The cinematography is perfect in all sequences, especially when possessed characters are on screen, showcasing the amazing practical effects. This is seen, too, in the trailer for the film, with a bone-chilling shot of a Deadite through a peephole.
Many recognize the franchise for its one-liners like “Groovy” or “This is my boomstick,” but this film has some new liners to rival those. The line “Mommy’s with the maggots now” is definitely the standout that delivers a chill to any viewer, no matter how much of a horror fan you are. In all, Evil Dead Rise is a faithful expansion of a beloved franchise.