The most terrifying film you will ever experience.
In 1981, director Sam Raimi gave life to what would eventually become a cult phenomenon and cement his name into the horror genre for generations to come. The Evil Dead, a low-budget concept that garnered a reputation for its black humor and bloodshed, spawned a franchise of films, videogames and comics, becoming the most praised trilogy in horror. With a budget of less than $500,000, Raimi had to resort to cheap practical effects that built a platform for his career and was praised for his efforts. Now over 30 years later, the franchise makes its return with Evil Dead directed by Fede Alvarez with a blessing from Raimi himself, on the production credits.
Being the first to not have Sam Raimi in the director’s chair, Evil Dead picks up newcomer Fede Alvarez for his debut into feature films. In a nod to the original, Alvarez avoids the advancement of technology and sticks to what made the original leave a lasting impact on the genre. Evil Dead is relentless and unforgiving in nature and once the evil is unleashed, there is not a moment of recess. Jane Levy, Shiloh Ferndandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas and Elizabeth Blackmore emerge as the new generation who find themselves in the midst of damnation.
Mia (Levy), attempting to recover from a drug addiction, brings her friends Eric (Pucci) and Olivia (Lucas) to help ease the withdrawals, along with her estranged brother David (Fernandez) and girlfriend Natalie (Blackmore). With the muttering of a few words and ignoring all blatant signs of danger things take a sharp turn toward unrelenting pain and torture. Evil Dead fosters an unimaginable sense of dread and hopelessness through its camerawork which really found its success in the 1981 original. The carnage that occurs within the 90 minutes leaves the audience’s senses shaken and perception of gore questioned.
Now as the tagline reads, “the most terrifying film you will ever experience,” will most likely leave fans of horror feeling empty. While darker than the original, Evil Dead continues to recycle the formula that modern horror filmmakers often use, torture and gore is horror. By the end of it all, you’re left feeling exhausting and oversaturated with violent scenes that are always seeking to top its predecessors, that the true horror of an evil spirit inflicting its rage is lost. From tree rape that possesses its victim to decapitation and self inflicting wounds that will make a die hard fan of horror cringe, Evil Dead drops the terror and picks up torture porn.
Evil Dead is now playing.
Ben Lester (bjams11)
