It’s the fifth installment of the “Evil Dead” film series. Our J.P. reviews the long-awaited sequel, “Evil Dead Rise,” starring Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland and Morgan Davies.
Evil Dead Rise
Warner Bros. Pictures
- Directed by Lee Cronin
- Written by Lee Cronin
- Based on Characters by Sam Raimi
- Produced by Rob Tapert
- Starring Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher
Studio Synopsis:
New Line Cinema and Renaissance Pictures present a return to the iconic horror franchise, “Evil Dead Rise,” from writer/director Lee Cronin (“The Hole in the Ground”). The movie stars Lily Sullivan (“I Met a Girl,” “Barkskins”), Alyssa Sutherland (“The Mist,” “Vikings”), Morgan Davies (“Storm Boy,” “The End”), Gabrielle Echols (“Reminiscence”) and introducing Nell Fisher (“Northspur”).
Moving the action out of the woods and into the city, “Evil Dead Rise” tells a twisted tale of two estranged sisters, played by Sutherland and Sullivan, whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.
J.P.’s Take:
When it comes to sequels of well-known horror titles, it’s increasingly difficult to impress audiences these days. “Evil Dead Rise” is the long-awaited sequel that almost never was.
The horror/comedy craze that culminated in the early ’80s and ’90s returns from the dead yet a 5th time, and it’s just as much of a fright fest as its ancestors. The “Evil Dead” series began life as a shoestring-budgeted, creepy show, which gained traction over the years and becoming a staple in the horror genre. It spawned a reboot in 2013, which I still hail as one of the creepiest films of that year, then a Starz series called “Ash vs Evil Dead” that ran three seasons. The nostalgia of fans and the steel will of the filmmakers have given “rise” to this follow-up.
“Evil Dead Rise” is not quite as dark as the Fede Álvarez-helmed reboot, “Evil Dead” (2013), yet still bares roots in the series: from its free-floating, woozy opening shot through a forest (filmed with a drone this time) to its drearily lit backdrops and blood-soaked scenes throughout. What’s unique in this send-up is the setting and scenario. Where better to set this bloodletting than in a high-rise building in LA? Writer / director Lee Cronin (“The Hole in the Ground”) breaks the mold here by pitting a mother with kids against a demonic force in a “tower of terror,” triggering a claustrophobic panic-stricken battle for survival.
Interestingly enough, this film opens in reverse chronological order. There is a wink to viewers, where we find young folks on the dock while vacationing at a dreaded “cabin in the woods.” Jessica (Anna-Maree Thomas), Caleb (Richard Crouchle), and Teresa (Mirabai Pease) are those young adults who retreat to this cabin to allow Jessica to sleep off whatever seems to be ailing her. Hmmm… I can only imagine what she’s afflicted with? More on that later.
The frightening tale in this particular outing involves a mother, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), of three kids, Kassie (Nell Fisher), Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and Danny (Morgan Davies), who have no idea about the terror that awaits them. Amid Ellie’s sister, Beth (Lily Sullivan), impromptu homecoming and pending eviction from their condemned apartment building, an earthquake rocks LA, which opens a hole in the parking garage below. Danny, Bridget, and Kassie return home from picking up pizzas when they discover the opening in the garage and proceed to investigate it. Curious Danny scales down into the hole and finds a buried vault where an eerie book with records is stored. You can see where this is going as he shoves these items into his backpack and climbs back out, not before getting a good fright from a fallen cross with a statue of Jesus attached.
What’s more frightening is the plight of Ellie as Danny begins cracking open the human-skinned book while playing the recordings and hearing that baritone demonic voice bellowing through his speakers is eerily sublime. And when this evil comes, his mother, Ellie, is the unwilling recipient.
“Evil Dead Rise” is a lean, mean fear machine, leaning on graphic imagery to lead you down a nightmarish path to escape. Ellie’s possession allows her to climb the walls and speak in a deadite tone, spewing vomit and blood. Her limbs crack and deform as she clings to the ceiling like a bat or crawls across the floor while she banters about the murderous things she’d do to her family. If that doesn’t scare the color out of you, I can’t imagine what will. It’s the very thought of children in peril that is cause for great alarm.
It’s also slightly devoid of the same kind of slapstick humor made famous in the first three iterations. Yet, Cronin finds a way to nod at the audience with some dark comedy of his own. There are multiple harkenings to its predecessors with top-notch practical effects and a chainsaw-wielding scene with Beth in place of Ash Williams (originally play by Bruce Campbell). Did I mention this is a gory, blood-soaked affair as well? Fans will revel in that. Good thing these nods aren’t schlocky or tacked on.
Getting back to Jessica, there is an end scene with her walking out to the same parking garage while chatting on her phone. She’s putting her things in the car when she spots a station wagon in the rearview mirror parked behind her. As she walks over to get a closer look, she finds it surrounded by a massive puddle of blood. She begins to cry, shrieks the words “OH NO!” and races to her car. Viewers will soon make the connection.
2013’s “Evil Dead” can hold its own in Sam Raimi’s realm. Yet, I was more satisfied watching the latest film, “Evil Dead Rise.” It felt more at home among its ascendants.
Official Site: Evil Dead Rise
