Spoilers avoid reading books bound on human skin as a general rule.
There’s very little that compares to the original Sam Raimi’s movie series, but this remake-reboot is actually the first of a new take on the Deadite mythos that deserves a watch. So, quick cold open review, this one’s for fans of actually frightful and scary horror. You will recognize the call backs to the original and a couple of classic Raimi chase shots, but the gore and the solid jump scares are gunning for your throat. There is no campiness here though. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart. And yes, I should have watched and reviewed this one before Evil Dead Rise (2023) but here we are.
Evil Dead (2013) is directed by Fede Alvarez who wrote the screenplay with Rodo Sayagues based on Sam Raimi’s original film The Evil Dead (1981). This is more or less a reboot/reimagining of the original film. We have five young people at an isolated cabin. Mia (Jane Levy) has been brought here to quit a nasty drug habit by her friends. Olivia (Jessica Lucas) is a nurse who believes what to expect as Mia goes into withdrawals. For support, there’s also David (Shiloh Fernandez), Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore). They’re all expecting the worst, but they have no clue what’s coming.
Enter the Natorum Demonto, another volume of the Book of the Dead. Wrapped up in garbage bags and barbed wire, it’s hard to believe that someone would be keen to pry it open. But somehow Eric is our resident idiot who takes the brilliant choice of opening, transcribing it and read it out loud. The Deadites never have to wait long for their cue. Granted we’ve been spending time first getting acquainted with the group dynamic. Now Mia is the first one getting possessed with the rest of the gang thinking she’s going through addiction withdrawals.
It works. That is, as long as straight up non-watered horror is your drink of choice with an abundant helping of gore. It is messy, disturbing and all sorts of twisted. It doesn’t tone down for camp or has any heroic moments. Ash does not show up to save the day. On the other hand, the shotgun and the chainsaw do make their obligatory appearance. You should expect a lot of limbs to be expunged in the goriest way possible. Casual audiences should steer clear of this one.
Highly recommended for true horror fans. While it does take its time to spring out the claws, once it has got a grip it does not let go. It is a bit of a remake/reboot so you don’t need to have seen any of the previous films, but if you’re a Raimi fan you’ll recognize the director paying tribute to what’s come before. Definitely worth a watch if you’re yearning for a true solid genre horror film.
That will do for now.
Never Think Impossible 