After a solid 10 year wait, the newest addition to the iconic "Evil Dead" universe is finally here, this time through the form of Lee Cronin's "Evil Dead Rise".
Initially, I wasn't aggressively pulled towards the idea of seeing this film as I didn't find the trailer all that enticing and nothing different to anything we hadn't seen in the Evil Dead universe before - or in any horror film for that matter.
But after seeing several reviews hailing this film as the scariest film of the year, I made the decision to go and see it - a decision that would later leave me with regret as I sat down in the cinema, ready to watch this movie.
I would like to begin by saying that if you are leaning against seeing this movie because of the fact that you haven't seen any of the other Evil Dead productions, dating al the way back to 1981.
Don't let that stop you, as they have absolutely no impact on the contents of this storyline whatsoever.
I would also like to follow this by saying that this film has one intention and one intention only. And that is to make it's audience members as uncomfortable as humanly possible for an hour and 36 minutes.
If that was the film's sole purpose, it succeeded.
There are countless occasions throughout this movie that are destined to leave audiences with a slight grumble in the stomach, as Lee Cronin does everything but hold back when it came to producing a number of gruesome and horrific scenes that are at times genuinely difficult to watch.
But then again, it's the Evil Dead universe. So if you came into the cinema expecting to watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it wouldn't take long before you realise you were in the wrong cinema.
It goes without saying that the writing team behind this movie didn't spend too much time attempting to muster up a compelling and thrilling storyline to entertain audience members.
In fact, the converses in dialogue between characters can be found quite cringy a number of times throughout the film. most of the characters are unlikable to begin with, so when they open their mouths it only makes you dislike them even more.
But regardless of this, Evil Dead Rise does succeed in creating an off-putting and horrifying piece of cinema that contains several gruesome scenes that are destined to go down in iconic horror.
The contents of this film are listed on the tin. The movie is called "Evil Dead Rise", so seeing people get possessed and have their heads ripped off is exactly what we expect to see. So the fact that the film didn't attempt to be something that it isn't, I am actually fond of.
Another aspect of this film that I am also highly fond of is the casting of Alyssa Sutherland, who does a brilliant job of portraying the possessed Mother who will stop at no ends until her full family is slaughtered in the most aggressive and gruesome way possible.
It sounds disgusting, but the film is rated an 18 for a reason.
The make-up team that had the dirty of turning Sutherland into one of the most horrifying and disgusting looking Mothers seen on screen since the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella, deserve every accolade they may receive.
The minute things take a turn for the worst in this film (you'll know it when you see it), there isn't a moment when Alyssa Sutherland isn't painful to look at.
Other than the recent work of film director Ari Aster with film such as Midsummer and Hereditary, it is rare that we see a film with such well done cinematography. And this kind of work is repeated throughout Evil Dead Rise.
Not to say that the full film is stunning, because the colour gradient throughout this film is very dark, seeing as though the full movie takes place in one night.
But I am to say that there are a number of creative shots throughout this movie that make the experience all the more terrifying.
Let's just say there is a whole "door whole" scene that I won't say anything about, other than the fact that it isn't a nice watch.
Comments