The popular horror franchise returns for a gloriously gory new chapter of chills. Irish writer/director Lee Cronin (whose past credits include some horror shorts and the feature film ‘The Hole in the Ground’), takes on a mammoth legacy-franchise for his second feature film. ‘Evil Dead’ legends Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell executive produce this film, giving it a legitimate stamp of approval along the way. The end result is a masterclass in terror and one of the most enjoyable horror films for years. In short, ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is a complete success and a stunning, blood-drenched return to form.
Two estranged sisters Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) and Beth (Lily Sullivan) must battle to save their family when demonic forces invade their derelict apartment block and threaten to destroy them all. To tell more would give away too much but rest assured, if you like your horror gory and claustrophobic then you’ve come to the right place. The plot is sharp and to-the-point, and the characters are fleshed out extremely well. There are so many nods to the Evil Dead franchise (and horror in general) scattered across the slender 97min runtime that you’ll need to see the film again to pick them all out. And most impressively, there’s a sequence near the start of the film which very cleverly links the original movies and the 2013 Jane Levy effort to this film, which I though was brilliantly executed.
One of the worst things about most modern horror films is how, as an audience member, I am basically cheering on the villain because their victims are just so damn annoying. This is definitely not the case with ‘Evil Dead Rise’. Even though the film flies by at a frantic pace, time is given to really get to know these characters, and this means that the terrors that befall them all resonate much further and hit an audience far harder because you care about them. Even the side characters are memorable and add substance to the narrative.
The film’s success is down to two key elements. Firstly, powerhouse leading turns from Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie, Lily Sullivan as Beth and a stellar supporting cast. The horror genre has always been a market leader in championing strong female leads and ‘Evil Dead Rise’ gives us two new names to keep an eye out for. Both have also instantly propelled their respective characters to the horror folklore hall of fame. Sutherland is truly frightening once she’s possessed and delivers some amazing set-pieces. Sullivan is the new hero of this franchise, and she handles that weight of expectation with confidence and natural charisma.
The role of the kids could have very easily been just cannon-fodder for lesser horrors, but ‘Evil Dead Rise’ quickly establishes the three children as pivotal players in this nightmare, and by design, they all contribute memorable moments to the film that linger long in the mind. Gabrielle Echols as Bridget, Morgan Davies as Danny and young Nell Fisher as Kassie are all excellent and really help the story so that it has some real-world consequences to all the carnage. Mark Mitchinson, Jayden Daniels and Mirabai Pease also give the film some substance in small but very effective supporting roles.
The second key element is director Lee Cronin. Having first watched the films as a 9-year-old with his dad, the ‘Evil Dead’ franchise has clearly left a mark on the talented writer/director. He brings this enthusiasm for the franchise and populates every frame with a heady mix of homage and new-wave horror. This is a proper 18-rated movie, something many studio-led genre pictures wrongfully shy away from. ‘Evil Dead Rise’ fully embraces the freedom of the certification by delivering bone-crunching and blood-soaked mayhem that’s a crowd-pleasing gem. Cronin deserves a sequel or two because he clearly understands the franchise and the possible routes for sequels that this story could take. He also starts the film in blistering fashion, with a scare sequence that leaves a delectable mark, and a title treatment that’s straight out of a classic 70s horror movie.
‘Evil Dead Rise’ is a wonderful, scary and visceral viewing experience that takes the best parts of a well-known franchise and updates it for an exciting new future. With love for the ‘Evil Dead’ franchise booming once again after the success of the game and the TV series ‘Ash vs Evil Dead’, expect this to launch yet another purple patch for the franchise. A gloriously gory thrill ride that’s creepy and unnerving, ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is a worthy chapter to the ‘Evil Dead’ legacy and a horror that grabs you and never lets you go from start to finish. Although a word of note – you probably won’t want to eat a full meal before seeing this. And you’ll never look at a cheese grater in quite the same way ever again.
Cast: Alyssa Sutherland, Lily Sullivan, Gabrielle Echols, Morgan Davies, Nell Fisher, Mark Mitchinson, Jayden Daniels, Mirabai Pease, Richard Crouchley, Anna-Maree Thomas Director: Lee Cronin Writer: Lee Cronin Certificate: 18 Duration: 97 mins Released by: StudioCanal Release date: 21st April 2023
