Home Reviews We review Evil Dead – Brutal horror that gets under the skin… but may not please fans

We review Evil Dead – Brutal horror that gets under the skin… but may not please fans

3 min read
5

I have a confession to make… and this may require that I turn in my “film geek” badge. I don’t like Sam Raimi’s original Evil Dead trilogy.

I’m just not a fan of cartoonish slapstick in my horror films, which is pretty much the defining feature, along with Bruce Campbell’s just-go-with-it performance, that made the old series a cult hit. I have also never seen the original Evil Dead, simply Evil Dead II – essentially a more expensive remake of its predecessor – and Army of Darkness, so I’m approaching this new movie (produced by Raimi and Campbell, for the record) without any of the ardent passion, and scepticism, of franchise fans.

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As an outsider, all I was looking for in Evil Dead 2013 was a well-made, emotionally-effective horror movie. And in that regard this reboot-sorta-sequel delivers. It is not however what it is being marketed as – “The most terrifying film you will ever experience.” It is, however, definitely one of the most brutal, forcing its cast to repeatedly commit graphic acts of self-mutilation in what feels like torture porn of the demonic possession variety. I almost fainted during one scene and a film hasn’t had that effect on me since 127 Hours.

It must be said though that Evil Dead 2013 is not without many flaws. First and foremost of these is that the film suffers from over-revelation in its red band trailer. If you have seen that preview, then you’ll have had some of the movie’s most shocking moments spoiled for you. Secondly, the new film is at a disadvantage for releasing after last year’s clever genre critique The Cabin the Woods. Most of the stupid character decisions that audiences were encouraged to question in Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s sly satire pop up here. Find a barb-wire-bound book covered in human skin in a basement strung with dead cats? Naturally the first thing you do is read out loud the incantation next to a blood-sprawled warning not to do so…

For the record, Evil Dead focuses on a group of twentysomething friends who head to a derelict cabin deep in the forest. They aren’t there for a weekend of boozy debauchery, however. In keeping with Evil Dead 2013’s sombre tone (do not expect any wacky humour in this Evil Dead!), our heroes are there to support troubled Mia (Jane Levy) in her latest attempt to overcome heroin addiction. Withdrawal is tough enough as it is without your childhood buddies (Jessica Lucas , Lou Taylor Pucci) and estranged brother (Shiloh Fernandez) refusing to believe that there is an evil supernatural presence in the woods with you.

Shiloh Fernandez;Lou Taylor Pucci;Jessica Lucas;Jane Levy

Sadly there is next to no character development in Evil Dead, and combined with the stupidity of character actions and decisions, you’re never really invested in the cast’s fate. Fernandez has a bit more to work with, and Pucci is automatically likeable, but the standout of the film is definitely Levy. She is quite superb, and turns in one of the best performances seen in a horror film of recent years.

Another pleasant surprise is that Evil Dead is one of those rare films that actually improves as it progresses – throwing in some unexpected twists. Characters who step up to vanquish evil are not necessarily who you expect them to be.

Anyway, I enjoyed Evil Dead. Or perhaps that should be appreciated, given that it’s more nightmarishly disturbing than anything else? I suspect though that the film’s deadly serious nature may feel too bland and mainstream-pandering for long-time Evil Dead fans, sucking out the very essence of the franchise. Personally, though, I thought the new movie still makes for solid, distinctive horror.

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Last Updated: August 14, 2013

5 Comments

  1. Lourens Corleone

    August 14, 2013 at 10:49

    Nice review! Not sure if you saw what I had to write about it in the Fright Club? I am quite pleased that most of the Evil Dead fans that I know, myself included, really enjoyed this. I felt that it paired well with Cabin in the Woods – where the first satired a tired genre, Evil Dead came in afterwards and did it right for the first time in a long while without resorting to satire, but while keeping in mind that audiences are now aware of the genre’s trickery. My 2c’s! Not a perfect film but once again, this is a film about kids in a cabin in the woods and demonic possession. There will be blood.

    Reply

  2. OminousRain

    August 14, 2013 at 13:21

    I enjoy Horror movies. Or used to…

    Now Horror is either a Slasher or something brutal to shock the audience.

    I don’t like the in your face brutal films. It is so in your face. You feel either that you have to look away or it feels so fake.

    But one thing I enjoyed allot was the Rob Zombie remakes of Halloween. Now that felt like proper Horror. The one scene where he stabbed the guy, you could see the guy being stabbed, but it was not in HD definition zoomed in kind of thing. And because of that, it kinda looked real.

    Another thing I liked about his films is that no characters are Magazine pretty. Like most films where the ‘ugly’ girl could be FHM top 100. He’s actors looked like normal people. So you could relate more.

    So I wish they could make Horror movies like that again.

    Reply

    • James Francis

      August 14, 2013 at 14:22

      Zombie’s Halloween remake was great. It is the first time in a long while that a slasher felt dangerous and menacing, not just an exercise in body count.

      Reply

  3. James Francis

    August 14, 2013 at 14:43

    Just to add, the first film was quite substantially different from the second. Evil Dead II did lift some elements of the original to create its first act, but that is where most similarities end.

    Reply

  4. Brian Murphy

    August 14, 2013 at 21:04

    Personally, I think the only shot Evil Dead had was to NOT attempt to recapture the Raimi + Campbell magic. And that’s why my friends (All huge Campbell fans), gave it a chance. Because they weren’t simply trying to tap into the series previous success by throwing camp at it.

    There are actually 4 original Evil Dead films (the first being Within the Woods, which was a college project of Raimi and Campbells), and they all exhibit the same ridiculousness. So, from my perspective, that’s between Raimi+Campbell, when we knew Campbell wasn’t coming back, then it’s time to push the film in a different direction, otherwise most fans would just look at it as yet another attempt by film execs to piggy-back on the success of what came before it.

    Good review though, however, I think you may be overly critical on the stupidity of the main players, let’s be frank, if you didn’t have stupid people ignoring what’s clearly in front of them, you wouldn’t be able to delight in those same stupid people being run through a meat grinder at a later date. Basically, it’s a lengthy example of all the reasons why you should strive not to be stupid.

    Reply

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