Evil Dead Rise (2023)

 

As you can 't expect Bruce Campbell to be playing Ash Williams until he's 90, it made sense for the franchise to be rebooted of sorts. But fret not, the people behind the modern version of 'Evil Dead' pretty much knew what they were doing and under the auspices of original mind Sam Raimi, it was a visceral and bloody experience. Maybe not as iconic as the original (but what can be?) but with its bloody heart in the right place. 

Something that also can be said about this sequel, which is a good time alround.

After a brief introduction which makes the audience believe we will be getting a retread of happenings in a cabin in the woods, we change the locale to a condemned apartment building, where a family of four (mom and her three kids) is visited by the sister who has been on the road for years on end and who has become pregnant without knowing what to do next. Life is tough for the family, but when the kids discover a secret basement of sorts after an earthquake, they uncover an ancient book and some vinyl records. 

If you've guessed the book is the Book of the Dead (Necronomicon Ex Mortis): of course it is. 

Because the son is an aspiring DJ, he naturally plays the vinyl, thus allowing the Kandaarian recitations to take place and of course an unknown entity swoops in and takes possession of the hapless mom and after that it's a smorgasbord of blood and guts as the aunt tries to save the kids and herself from demons that simply won't take no for an answer.

The enclosed space of the building works in its advantage, as soon only one floor and apartment stays available, so it's hectic and frenetic at times keeping the monsters out or challenging them in the living room. Except for the whiny kids (but they are okay, I guess) most performances are fine, but the cake goes to Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie, the demonic mom. She pulls off that insane look and twitch really well. 

The blood and guts also fly around like crazy and a lot of the violence feels really visceral and tangible. Sure, there's some CG involved, but it looks and feels as if most of it was done practically in camera, and that just makes it all look better and more gooey. You get disembowlments, eye-plucking, clawing, bones snapping... The works. At times even seasoned gorehounds might wince just a little. But thank goodness the makers also knew that building tension is paramount and 'Evil Dead Rise' can get fairly tense at times, because you know violence is coming but it doesn't always land when you expect it.

Some of the nods to the original trilogy do stand out a bit, though. There's something with an eyeball that is really familiar, some cameratricks that you will undoubtedly recognise and even some lines that feel just ever so slightly hamfisted in. 

Although I must say I was expecting the: "Yo she-bitch. Let's go." instead of the "Come get some."

In any case, 'Evil Dead Rise' is a fun ride and a very decent addition to the franchise and lore and if the people behind this can keep the idea simple and the gore essential to the plot without it becoming the sole selling point, then the IP really got a new lease on life with its first two installments. 

Groovy.