In “Evil Dead Rise,” the action moves out of the woods and into the city and tells a twisted tale of two estranged sisters, played by Sullivan and Sutherland, whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.
When “Evil Dead” came out in 2013, it surprised many people, myself included, because it was so damn good. Director Fede Álvarez remade Sam Raimi’s 1981 classic but upped the gore and mayhem so much that some scenes were hard to watch. And for a horror fan, that’s a good thing. After Raimi’s original trilogy ended with 1993’s silly “Army of Darkness,” my least favorite in the series, fans wondered if Ash and his boomstick would ever grace movie screens again. While Ash did return for three seasons in the STARZ-produced “Ash vs. Evil Dead,” he was nowhere to be found in the 2013 iteration, and that’s okay because Álvarez’s remake utilized a new batch of young actors, leaving no room for Campbell, or his boomstick.
In “Evil Dead Rise,” director Lee Cronin moves the horror from the backwoods of Tennessee to a condemned, almost empty Los Angeles apartment complex. There, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), a tattoo artist and single mother to teenagers Danny (Morgan Davies) and Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and young daughter Kassie (Nell Fisher), is struggling to make ends meet. When her sister Beth (Lily Sullivan) visits, the apartment complex is struck by an earthquake. While in the basement waiting for a pizza delivery, the earthquake reveals a concealed chamber. Full of curiosity, Danny and Bridget climb down to investigate, and that is where Danny discovers three old records and an ancient book; the Naturom Demonto, the Book of the Dead.
After bringing them back to their apartment, Danny plays the records, opens the book, and unleashes a terrifying, unseen, demonic force. After possessing Ellie, she quickly transforms into a Deadite and attacks her family, wounding Bridget. Beth manages to lock her outside the apartment but knows it’s only a matter of time before she finds a way back in. Shortly after, screams can be heard in the hallway as Ellie attacks her neighbors, turning them into Deadites. As the long, dark night begins, Beth must try to protect her sister’s family while trying to devise an escape plan. Ellie strikes up a conversation with Kassie from the hallway through the peephole and deceives her by pretending to be normal again, tricking her into unlocking the door. While Beth and Danny struggle with Ellie at the front door, Bridget’s earlier wound causes her to become possessed. With Deadites inside and outside the apartment, Beth will need all the help she can get.
While “Evil Dead Rise” embodies many familiar themes and tropes that originated with its predecessors – slow-burn tension, Dutch camera angles, lightning-fast camera zooms, and movement – the one aspect missing is its use of black comedy. While the original 1981 “The Evil Dead” was a straightforward horror flick, its 1987 sequel, “Evil Dead II,” struck a balance between its outlandish horror and dark humor, scaring you one minute, then making you laugh the next. “Evil Dead Rise” is pretty much devoid of any humor, but it works for its overall narrative. Had it utilized the exaggerated and overemphasized humor of “Evil Dead II,” it would have surely failed. “Evil Dead II” is a product of its time and works within the context of that era, and while “Evil Dead Rise” is somber in its presentation, a little fun would have been welcomed.
I appreciate director Lee Cronin transitioning the story from the Tennessee backwoods to the city, but personally, the change of scenery is why “Evil Dead Rise” doesn’t work as well as it should. Every previous entry in the series (with the exception of “Army of Darkness”) transpired in the woods, and there’s a reason why; being in the middle of nowhere with no one and nothing around you is scarier than living in an apartment building though while condemned and practically empty, is still surrounded by life and movement. The cast does well in their respective roles, and Lee Cronin does a good job in the director’s chair; I just hope moving forward, for any future iterations, they move the setting back to the woods where it belongs.
Now available on Digital HD, and on 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, and DVD June 27th
