Evil Dead Rise

Evil Dead Rise
Starring Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Nell Fisher
Directed by Lee Cronin

The "Evil Dead" franchise is an anomaly in the world of horror cinema. The first film was released back in 1981, and since then there's only been four sequels (or remakes), along with a critically acclaimed television series. By taking their time and crafting these sequels (or remakes) with care and precision, surprisingly none of them have been duds. Sam Raimi was an unknown director who created "The Evil Dead" in 1981 on a less-than-shoestring budget, and the film was revolutionary for its story, its unique camera work, and the practical effects that made for an unforgettable experience. That was followed by a more "polished" sequel sorta requel with "Evil Dead 2" before going completely bonkers and sending our chainsaw-hand wielding hero Ash back to the Middle Ages in "Army of Darkness" back in 1993. Then the franchise went into hibernation for twenty years before director Fede Alvarez decided to remake it with "Evil Dead," which was in itself a risk that paid off in dividends, making it not just a commercial success but critical one as well. Now - ten years later - we get the next horror-fueled nightmare adventure with "Evil Dead Rise," which, like its predecessors, tries something completely new and totally knocks it out of the park - and by that I mean they use someone's head as a baseball and use someone's leg as the bat to hit the homerun.

In a high-rise dilapidated apartment complex in California, Beth (Lily Sullivan) visits her older sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) and her three children - Danny (Morgan Davies), Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and Kassie (Nell Fisher). While there they encounter an earthquake, and Danny finds a hidden basement at the bottom of the apartment complex, and inside he finds a mysterious book along with some records. He shows Bridget the book, which appears to be made out of human skin with teeth as a lock, and when he spills his blood on it, it opens to reveal terrifying images. When he plays the records, he inadvertently releases an evil known as a Deadite that inhabits his mother's body, killing her in the process, and turning her into a demon that seeks to destroy her former family, leaving Beth trying to find a way to survive, keep the kids alive, and stop the demon from achieving its evil goal.

The Good:
As I said earlier, the "Evil Dead" franchise is very unique in that it spans the gambit of genres: throughout all of them there's the horror, but also dark comedy, and even epic action made for pennies on the dollar. The last two entries of the franchise have upped their production budgets, and it shows with the stellar practical and computer effects that deliver home the thrills, kills, and blood spills. "Evil Dead Rise," much like its predecessors, isn't confined to the box of generic storytelling but branches out in unique and risky ways. While the other films take place in a remote cabin in the woods centering on a group of young adults who come across the book of the dead (also known as the Necronomicon), "Rise" takes place in a high rise apartment complex in the middle of (I think) Los Angeles and focus on a struggling family than a group of youths. When I first found this out I was apprehensive about it, because it seemed to be taking too big of a risk, but "Rise" rose above the expectations I had for it and crafted something wholly original to the franchise, giving it another breath of fresh air - not that it needed it.

The setting added to the tense atmosphere in ways that a cabin in the woods could never accomplish. The complex is stories tall, and our hapless heroes find themselves trapped in one of the upper levels with no means to make it down, trapping them with the Deadite with no easy means of escape, unlike a cabin where you could just leave (but watch out for hungry trees). The setting not just adds that sense of hopelessness, but the building itself is in complete disrepair (no spoiler, but Ellie tells Beth that they're about to tear it down), and the mood and atmosphere is that of pure neglect and destitute isolation. The halls are dimly lit with swinging lights, and the apartment is encased in darkness even before the Deadite arrives. The new setting doesn't allow us a moment to breathe, confining us in the same space as the characters, leaving us feeling just as trapped as they are.

The effects are top notch, blending practical and computer effects so flawlessly you can't tell which is which most of the time. Much like the previous "Evil Dead," "Rise" puts the characters through the emotional and physical ringer from the jump and doesn't give them a moment to breathe - and in doing so the audience doesn't get that luxury either. It's a 97 minute descent into the pits of hell, with no rest stops along the way. Again, much like its proteges, "Rise" incorporates copious amounts of blood (director Lee Cronin said he used over 1,720 gallons of fake blood, and boy howdy do we see every drop) along with more than ample amounts of body parts getting slashed, stabbed, cut off, eviscerated, dismembered, and set on fire - along with creepy crawlies and other bodily fluids.

By changing the formula to a family, there's a darker tone than even the previous films. It's not watching a bunch of young adults getting brutally killed and possessed one by one, but now it's something that literally hits close to home. A family is supposed to be safe, secure, and loved, but "Rise" flips that on its head and turns it into a living nightmare, as the matriarch of the family becomes the family's main source of terror, which is a stroke of pure writing genius by Cronin. A mother's love, as many people say, is the closest thing to God's love on earth, and having the mother turn into a diabolical killer who spouts insults at her children while she tries to dismember them is disturbing on multiple levels and adds to the tension of the film.

While the film is, at its heart, a body horror demon possession film, it's also in a very dark, twisted way a great time. Seeing it in theaters you catch audience reactions that range from laughter (not at the film but with the film's totally absurd use of violence, which adds to its charm) to gasps and squeals of terror at the perfectly timed jump scares Cronin throws in for good measure. It's a testament to the film that audiences are so engrossed in what's happening as they're being grossed out by what's happening as well.

The performances are wholly believable and you can sense the family dynamic fall apart in the most dramatic ways. Alyssa Sutherland is introduced as mother Ellie before she's taken over by the Deadite, and you can sense the love she has for her children that's totally turned on its head once she's possessed. It's to Sutherland's talent that she's able to be believable both as a doting, loving mother and as the spawn of Satan on a dime. The children actors too give rousing performances - from Morgan Davies' tortured Danny to Gabrielle Echols' sympathetic Bridget, and especially young Nell Fisher's Kassie who is the heart and soul of the film, they all perform admirably.

Yet the brunt of the film lies on newcomer Lily Sullivan's shoulders as their Aunt Beth, who not only has to protect her cousins, but also lament the loss of her sister, and deal with other personal trauma in the process. She starts the film as someone who seems unable to cope with the most simple problems in life, and as the film progresses she finds her strength and turns into a total bada** that'd make Ash proud.

The Bad:
While "Rise" hits it out of the park in the majority of its choices, there's one in particular near the end (that I won't spoil) that had me scratching my head wondering why they went in that direction. It felt odd and in a little way took me out of what was happening, but that's a minor setback to an otherwise stellar work.

"Evil Dead Rise" also falls victim to the trailer curse: if you see the trailer, you know what to expect because it gives away so much that it doesn't need to, thereby taking away from some of the scares. You can anticipate what's coming next and be prepared for the scares to follow that, if you didn't see the trailer, you'd never see coming. I'd advise (even though I post it) to not watch the trailer at all before going into it, because you'll definitely be covering your face for a good majority of the film rather than sitting back thinking, "alright, this is what comes next because that's what was in the trailer."

The Verdict:
By taking a risky gamble and moving the setting and cast of characters from the franchise's tried-and-true history, "Evil Dead Rise" rises to the occasion and delivers an unrelenting horror thrill ride that's relentless, hopeless, and filled to the brim with all types of body horror that makes the "Evil Dead" franchise such a beloved one forty years in.

The Score: A