Evil Dead without Ash Williams is a very dangerous proposition: to me, Bruce Campbell’s himbo is integral to what makes Evil Dead… Evil Dead. The 2013 remake/reboot/sequel(?), which I confess that I’ve never been able to finish despite multiple attempts, was a complete misfire, although it has its fans. The Campbell-led Ash vs Evil Dead was wonderful, but canceled prematurely because nobody had Starz, and wasn’t a hit till it reached Netflix. So a reboot/possible sequel in this franchise is a dangerous proposition… but I’m happy to report that Evil Dead Rise is a good film that does its own thing while being referential enough to please some long-term fans.
Irish director Lee Cronin helms the film, it’s his second feature after The Hole in the Ground. Instead of having the film set in old trope of a “cabin in the woods,” it takes place in a condemned apartment complex that is awaiting demolition in a month’s time. The film starts with a flash-forward to some Deadite action in a lakeside cabin, but quickly flashes back to an unrelated family living in the complex to tell the audience how we got to the opening action, which is 99% of the film. Guitar technician Beth (Lily Sullivan) visits her sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) at the complex. She is a single mother to teenagers Danny and Bridget and a younger child, Kassie. Everything goes to hell after Danny (Morgan Davies) discovers the Necronomicon and some old records in a concealed chamber after an earthquake shakes the building just as the kids return to the parking lot with the pizza their mom sent them to pick up.
Much to its credit, the film is very short and to the point, there is really not much fat on the bone here. You could maybe do without the opening epilogue, which didn’t seem that necessary. Cronin focuses more on the horror and gore elements than the humour that the Sam Raimi films are known for, although there is a very funny eyeball gag. The humour of the original Raimi films is what makes me love them, not simply the genre elements. Hopefully the sequel will bring back some of the humour back, but the amusement-ride feel of Evil Dead Rise is very in tune with Raimi’s films.
The cast is all solid, but minus any real stand-outs. It’s all Australians doing American accents: the film was shot in New Zealand, as was Ash Vs. Evil Dead. Rob Tapert, the producer of the Evil Dead franchise has been living in New Zealand since the ’90s after producing Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and future Ken Ryan Gosling as the spin-off Young Hercules. He generally tries to keep operations there when he produces, a long way from rural Tennessee of the original Evil Dead! The mean streets of Auckland double well for run-down Los Angeles in the exterior moments early in the film.
The best aspect of the film is that it brings something new to the table, but at the same time has some call-backs to the original films, and these are never overdone. The best call-back is actually a reference to the original film’s assistant editor Joel Coen’s Fargo woodchipper sequence. If you know Fargo and Evil Dead, you might have a good idea of what happens. Keep an ear out for when Danny plays the record, you might hear a familiar voice if you listen carefully. One final side note for those who care about representation: Danny is a transboy, and it’s never mentioned in the dialogue. It’s just completely accepted, which seems like a very healthy and forward-thinking approach instead of making a big deal out of their identity.
The UHD and Blu-Ray does include some extras, unlike the US release, including a commentary track from director Lee Cronin. His short film Ghost Train is included on both discs.
★★★½
Ian Schultz
psychotroniccinema.com 