Evil Dead Rise movie review: A demonic delight that'll haunt your dreams

Sam Raimi'sEvil Dead franchise is an outlier, particularly when it comes to time-honoured horror franchises. It's hard to believe that the first installment was released over four decades ago, and since then, every single entry has hit the mark. Even Starz's television continuation of Ash Williams' story, Ash vs Evil Dead, captured the same deliciously gory and darkly funny spirit that made the movies so unique in the genre. With the release of Evil Dead Rise, the latest addition to the franchise, fans have been eagerly anticipating whether it will live up to the same high standards set by its predecessors. And I'm happy to report that it not only meets those expectations, but exceeds them in every way imaginable.

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Evil Dead Riseis a movie that demands to be seen with a group of friends, preferably in a cabin deep in the woods, far away from civilisation. Though, the movie itself takes place at an apartment building. But the exigencies of the story ensure that the said apartment building be somehow stranded right between the city. So there's an earthquake that cuts power and mobile connections, and also unearths the dreaded Necronomicon Ex-Mortis. It all feels extremely contrived, but once the evil tome wreaks Deadite havoc and gore and scares pile up, one hardly cares.

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A young female roadie called Beth (Lily Sullivan) finds herself pregnant so visits her sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), a single mother, and her children — Danny (Morgan Davies), Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and the youngest Kassie (Nell Fisher). The aforementioned earthquake causes a hole to open in the parking lot, revealing religious artifacts, including the Book of the Dead. Danny reads the book's incantations, and a demonic entity possesses Ellie. It is up to Beth to try and keep her sister's kids safe from the person she has become.

The best part about Evil Dead Rise is that it is a very typical Evil Dead movie. Minus Bruce Campbell's middle-aged, witty presence as Ash, the film does feel like it has been directed by Raimi. Director Lee Cronin does a truly swell job of capturing the frenzied, over-the-top, humour-tinged brand of horror that is unique to the franchise. The pacing, with a steady buildup of tension that explodes into a frenzied climax, is just right for an Evil Dead movie.

The 97-odd minutes pass in a jiffy, with each scene building upon the last to create a terrifying and pulse-pounding experience. Cronin also injects the movie with a healthy dose of dark humour and wit. In the spirit of the franchise, the film also manages to deliver some truly impressive practical effects, with a greater reliance on old-school techniques rather than CGI.

Sutherland, who I remember as Aslaug from the TV series Vikings, makes for a quite terrifying Deadite. It is understandable that her image is used liberally in the film's marketing. She fully embraces the role, bringing a sense of menace and otherworldly possession that is both frightening and captivating. Sullivan and the kids are all great too.

I believe Evil Dead Rise is a worthy addition to the franchise. It delivers pretty much everything fans of the series have come to expect – gore, scares, and dark humour. You just have to get past a couple of plot contrivances.

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