Evil Dead Rise Movie Review: Nowadays, it's rare to see a horror picture that truly scares you. Whether you're dealing with metaphors depicting several layers of grief, and if a lot of it gets muddled up in shock factor that just comes across as cheap jump scares, the sense of dread just isn't there anymore. Not to suggest they don't have a place in movies, but every now and then, a traditional hack-and-slash adventure that delivers on old-school horror is needed. Well, lucky for us horror fans, Evil Dead Rise is exactly that and so much more. Evil Dead Rise: Bruce Campbell Tells a Rude Fan to 'Get the F**k Out of Here' After He Said the 'Movie F***ing Sucks' at the SXSW Premiere of the Film (Watch Video).

Evil Dead Rise, directed by Lee Cronin, who also wrote the screenplay, follows Beth (Lily Sullivan), who, after facing an accidental pregnancy, reunites with her sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) in order to receive help. Their reunion, however, is cut short, when the Book of the Dead is unleashed and Ellie becomes possessed by demons and begins slaughtering everything in her path. In a fight for survival, Beth must defend herself and Ellie's children while attempting to survive the night.

A Still From Evil Dead Rise (Photo Credits: Warner Bros Pictures)

If I were to describe Evil Dead Rise's story in one word, it would be "bonkers." Cronin has crafted an absolutely insane script that keeps escalating from beat to beat. It never actually stops, and uses its fairly basic setup to devolve into a hellish nightmare. It screams '80s nostalgia without ever taking cheap punches at you, and it's all wrapped up in this sense of understanding what Evil Dead is, where the mix of camp and terror feels well thought out.

It's all fairly paced out and driven by Alyssa Sutherland’s terrifying performance as Ellie who practically became one of my favourite Deadite of the series. The way she contorts her body to deliver the body horror elements, and the extreme bloody nature of the makeup turned her into a complete menace in the role and she chewed up the scenery whenever on-screen.

Watch the Trailer for Evil Dead Rise: 

On the other hand, Lily Sullivan's desperate struggle for survival is gripping. Beth has a lot of emotional depth, and the film puts her through a lot over here with a sense of urgency that keeps things tense. Unfortunately, the pregnancy plotline with her does fall flat. Nell Fisher, Gabrielle Echols and Morgan Davies, who plays Ellie’s kids in the film, are also stellar. The amount of dread they feel throughout the film feels palpable.

However, you come to an Evil Dead film for the guts, brutality, and the bloody spectacle, and Evil Dead Rise delivers all of that. Pools of blood burst open like leaking barrels of wine, and the franchise's trademark gore is on display. Heads are decapitated, arms are dismembered, and chainsaws are wielded, resulting in a squeamish and claustrophobic journey that will leave you holding your breath. One scene in particular involving a cheese grater just had me looking away from the screen. Evil Dead Rise Review: Critics Call Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Surtherland's Horror Film a 'Gnarly Crowd Pleaser', Say the Movie is a 'Refreshing' Entry. 

A Still From Evil Dead Rise (Photo Credits: Warner Bros Pictures)

Cronin's sense of direction also lends the franchise a distinct but recognisable vibe. Sam Raimi birthed the style, and Fede Alvarez gave it a grungy flavour. Cronin fits exactly in between them, bringing out the best of both worlds with creative cinematography and horrifying visuals that will be etched in the back of my mind for quite some time. I love it when a horror film genuinely delivers on the scares, and Evil Dead Rise nails that recipe well.

Yay!

The Gore

Performances

The Scares

Cronin’s Direction

Nay!

A Pregnancy Plotline Doesn’t Go Anywhere

Final Thoughts

Evil Dead Rise is a gory, gruesome and a blood-soaked journey that I thoroughly loved. It created a sense of dread and claustrophobia, making for a scary and groovy viewing experience that left me exhausted by the end in a good way. Evil Dead Rise is playing in theatres right now.

Rating:4.0

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 21, 2023 02:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).