Film review: ‘EVIL DEAD: RISE’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

Almost no franchise is safe from a reboot and modern makeover, not even horror cult classic The Evil Dead.  A film, that was a staple of 80’s teen sleepover parties, has seen two direct sequels (Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness) a 2013 remake and a TV series Ash vs Evil Dead.  There have also apparently been several aborted attempts at other sequels and reboots over the last few years. Now, here comes Evil Dead: Rise. Is it a reboot, a re-imagining or perhaps a repossession?  However, it’s labelled, it’s a more punishing experience than many have expected which will be welcome news for the more hardcore horror fan.

The original Evil Dead made magnificent use of what is now a horror staple, the creepy, isolated cabin in the woods.  After a seemingly unrelated pre-credit sequence that uses this iconic location, Rise transfers the action to somewhere creepier, LA. Here Beth (Lily Sullivan) who is eking out an existence with a low-level rock band and has just discovered she’s pregnant, is attempting a reunion with her sister, harried single mother of three Ellie (Australia’s Alyssa Sutherland).  When an earthquake exposes a long-abandoned buried bank vault beneath their apartment block, Ellie’s teenage son Danny (Morgan Davies) just has to go ferreting around in there.  Discovering some old vinyl records and a mysterious ‘leather’-bound book (yes, the old Necronomicon), he thinks he may have something that will earn a few bucks down at the local pawn shop.  The records, however, contain ancient incantations which, when played, summon the sorts of demonic forces we saw in the original Evil Dead.  Trapped in their apartment, the family members must battle those possessed by the malevolent force using whatever sharp implements come to hand.

The original Evil Dead was famous for its visual invention, camera gymnastics and clever balance of gore and cartoonish humour. Rise tries to be more serious, recalling films like The Conjuring, The Exorcist and The Shining; one scene in particular, is a direct homage to The Shining. Rise is visually darker than the original Evil Dead and seems to be set in the grimiest, most poorly lit apartment building in LA which if nothing else gives it a palpable atmosphere.

Despite a more serious tone and at least some attempt to explore interesting themes of family dysfunction, debilitating self-doubt, body horror and female anxieties about pregnancy and birthing, this is mostly a carnival ride of gore and hideous demons popping up to scare the crap out of people.  Inevitably, some of the more fanciful scenes of contorted demonic creatures scuttling across the walls look a bit silly.

This isn’t exactly a revelatory reinvention of the Evil Dead franchise but it should satisfy modern horror fans as it’s certainly bloody, there are genuinely grotesque moments, there is some tension amid the frenzied demon attacks and there’s a real sense the characters have gone through an ordeal and yes, there’s a chainsaw.

Nick’s rating: ***1/2.

Genre: Horror.

Classification: R18+.

Director(s): Lee Cronin.

Release date: 20th Apr 2023..

Running time: 96 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

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