Horror Movie Review: Evil Dead Rise (2023)

It’s been 10 years since we’ve had an Evil Dead movie, and that was a remake. In fact, aside from the Ash vs. The Evil Dead TV show, we’ve had nothing original in the franchise for 30 years. Yes, Army of Darkness came out in 1993. Doesn’t that make you feel old.

It’s not like anyone was clamouring for a new Evil Dead movie either which made the announcement and subsequent release of Evil Dead Rise something of a surprise.

So, here we are. Evil Dead Rise. The fifth instalment of the franchise. Written and directed by Lee Cronin and getting its theatrical release on April 21st, 2023. For clarity, we are able to write this review because we attended a preview screening of the film at the Prince Charles Cinema in London on the 12th of April 2023.

After being away as a guitar tech for long time, Beth (Lily Sullivan) heads home to her sister, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), and her kids Danny (Morgan Davies), Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and Kassie (Nell Fisher). A loving family but one that is in disarray; short on money, having to move to a new apartment as the block they’re in is decrepit and being torn down, and with an absent husband/father who walked out the family.

Still, regardless of these problems, they make it work even with the sudden and unexpected arrival of Beth.

Heading home after getting some pizza, the kids are in the worst place for an earthquake to hit, an underground garage. Thankfully, it’s minor, but it does crack the garage ground and reveal a hidden vault. One that houses a lot of religious iconography and a twisted looking book.

It’s one of three volumes of the book of the dead, something Danny learns as he listens to some vinyl records that accompanied it. Recordings done by a priest investigating the book, and recordings that include the words to summon demonic entities.

The deadites are here and the family are going to have to fight with everything they’ve got to survive the onslaught.

That’s about as far into the story we dare go. We don’t want to spoil this for you as Evil Dead Rise has many spectacular twists and turns and is best enjoyed with fresh eyes.

Eyes that will be assaulted by a cacophony of gleeful violence and delightfully excessive gore. If there is one thing that every commentator will have to say about Evil Dead Rise, it is that it is absurdly bloody. That almost all of this comes from practical effects too, is even more eye-widening.

Of course, the Evil Dead movies have always been bloody, so to differentiate itself, Evil Dead Rise showcases some original ideas too. While paying homage to the movies that came before it. There are plenty of groovy references and links throughout but at its core, Evil Dead Rise is all about moving the franchise forward.

Something it nails, thanks to a simple but smart story (three volumes of the book of the dead – genius), and expansions on the lore. It is clear that writer/director Lee Cronin not only understood what made the early movies beloved (this movie has some humour) but was confident that he could tell his own story too. In fact, everyone involved seemed to understand this as the music is phenomenal, the shots are constantly clever, and the acting is excellent. With the latter, it’s even more impressive when you consider what they went through here.

Evil Dead Rise is better than anyone could have expected or even hoped for. So much so, that the issues it does have end up feeling really ‘nitpicky’. Issues such as the opening few minutes of the movie could have been cut completely and it wouldn’t have had any effect on the overall film, aside from setting up the tone. Likewise, to the final few minutes that tie into that opening, something not needed as most will be feeling completely exhausted by this stage.

Then there are some of the secondary characters. Where the main cast get plenty to do, but this subset of characters end up being just fodder for the deadites and they feel like it from the moment they are introduced.

Tiny issues in a movie that really satisfies overall. It’s not on par with the original movies, it could never be, but it’s certainly the best thing from this franchise since 1987’s Evil Dead II. Yes, this is a better movie than Army of Darkness, simply because it knows that it is a horror movie first.

Here’s hoping that Evil Dead Rise is a phenomenal success so we can get more from this franchise. Particularly if the same team end up being involved going forward.