Reviews
‘Evil Dead Rise’ Review: Demented Moms and Devilish Scares
What reason do I have to pretend that I wasn’t at least a little biased about Evil Dead Rise from the jump? Every review, and every reviewer, is defined by their biases. I hope by now, reader, you’ve come to understand mine. To err is human, to get unreasonably hyped about deadites and chainsaws is just me being honest.
My point is, I loved this movie, and I knew I would love this movie. If the other Evil Dead films aren’t your cup of tea, I won’t bite your head off about it (I’ll even let you keep your hand). But be warned, this is much of the same…in that it’s a surprising tonal fusion of Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead (2013) and Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead 2. And even if neither floats your boat, I think this one is still worth a watch.
Need a primer on all things Evil Dead? Check out our Horror 101 article on the franchise here!
Evil Dead Rise: A New Urban Nightmare
Evil Dead Rise follows Beth (Lily Sullivan), a sound tech for a rock band escaping her personal problems by visiting her estranged sister and mother of three Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) at their L.A. apartment in disrepair. When an earthquake tears a hole in the apartment’s parking lot floor, the unearthing of a new Necronomicon and its inevitable reading summons the usual suspects. The demons take Ellie for a joyride to unleash the mother-of-all-deadites on the building, and it’s up to Beth to save her nieces and nephew from mommy dearest.
Such a drastic change in setting from the franchise’s usual wooded cabins to urban confines is subtly addressed in the movie’s cold open. Usually, I would dislike the opening for being a flash-forward, but I enjoyed it this time for how explosively evil it is. It shows that Lee Cronin knows how to set the mood just right, hitting us from the jump with the mean-spiritedness of something like Evil Dead (2013) while ratcheting up a lot of the blatant camp that was missing from that movie (not Evil Dead 2 levels, but close enough).
Perfectly Balanced Horror: Camp Meets Terror
Evil Dead Rise delivers on being disturbing without diving so deep into the well of sadness that 2013 did and even has some moments of levity (depending on how dark your sense of humor is). The movie is a wonderfully balanced 97 minutes that slows down and speeds up exactly when needed.
This film definitively has my favorite deadites, which is something I didn’t even think about until now. While the ones in Alvarez’s made me want to scrub in a hot shower, and Raimi’s had incredible makeup and actors in both the films and television, Cronin’s deadites are all just magnificent bastards that you can’t wait to see meet the other end of a boomstick.
Alyssa Sutherland’s Ellie: The Ultimate Deadite Villain
Sutherland’s Ellie is the ultimate example of this: not only is her brutality so perfectly played physically, but her ultra-expressive facial acting and devious voice make her born for this role; she’s probably going to land as my favorite antagonist in film this year, if not one of my all timers. Ellie’s lines are instantly quotable, since much of the dialogue for the deadites is suped up a lot compared to previous films’ promises of swallowing souls and creative cursing. One line flew over my head as creepy dialogue with slightly silly wording; I later realized it was a subtle jab at Beth’s biggest insecurity and fear. There are layers to these mind games, and the deadites really steal the show this time around. They also pull out a couple demonic tricks wholly unique to this film, with their big finale being exceptionally fun in its grotesquery.
The younger members of the cast are pretty good, with Danny (Morgan Davies) standing out for being able to turn up the terror with his reactions. Gabrielle Echols character of Bridget only really hits her stride towards the middle of the film, but when she does, her performance ends up being a serious highlight. Sullivan makes Beth sympathetic and plays to the arc of her character wonderfully, making you want to root for her the entire way through.
Why You Should Watch Evil Dead Rise in IMAX or Dolby Atmos
In terms of cinematography, you should watch this in IMAX or Dolby Atmos (I did the latter) if it is safe and reasonable for you to do so. I say this because the sound design in this is incredible. I know this train of thought is exaggerated a lot by critics because all movies are designed to be seen in theatres, but this is the first time I’m saying it and genuinely feeling it for a release this year. With Scream 6 and many other films I’ve seen, the audience enhances the experience.
But with Evil Dead Rise, your experience the first go around will be entirely different if you can have true surround sound bombarding you. The way the music is mixed is stellar, but it’s the diegetic sound that really stands out in this film. Between the earthquake, the stabs and shots, the supernatural voices, and the absolute torrents of blood, the sound in this film is impeccable, and it’s worth every penny to see this with one of those ear-busting sound systems.
Masterful Special Effects: Practical Meets Digital
This movie’s special effects are that expert synthesis of practical and digital you often hear about but don’t always get to see. Some of them were so seamless, I was having trouble distinguishing which was which, and that’s just how I like it when you’re hitting me with waves of gore and skin-crawling uses for household objects (cheese graters sound comfortable to anyone?). The effects are outright masterful complements to creative sequences that utilize the building to its fullest.
When it comes to the rest of the visuals, I already know some people will complain about the lighting. The movie is visually very bright, even in scenes where it should be darker. The apartment is so well-lit that I had forgotten that the power was supposed to have been shut off. It wasn’t enough to take me out of the movie or irritate me, but I figured I might as well note it since I do the same for many of my other reviews.
Evil Dead Rise: A Rewatchable Horror Gem
In the end, Evil Dead Rise is a damn good film, a nearly perfect horror film in my book. On re-examination, I’m sure I’ll find more little things that bother me or question the execution of a scene here or there, but I can’t see myself disliking this movie at all. It was exactly what I wanted it to be: a pulpy, bloody, campy, artistic mess that is ironically everything you’d want in a neat package, with a high rewatch value to boot. Watch it and watch it in theatres if you can.
Evil Dead Rise is available to stream on HBO MAX.
A Hostage Plot With Deadly Consequences
Philip Hopkins (Lance Holcomb) is a strange kid who seems to prefer critters, both tiny and slimy, over kids his own age. And his debilitating asthma doesn’t help much. His mother, Ruth (Cornelia Sharpe), has to leave town for a few days. She leaves Philip in the care of their housemaid, Louise (Susan George), and his grandfather, Howard (Sterling Hayden). But things go off the rails when the family driver, Dave (Oliver Reed), reveals he and Louise have some deadly tricks up their sleeves. Unfortunately for them, a mix-up at a local animal store leads to an even deadlier trick up Philip’s sleeve.
Venom Provides A Unique Take on Snake Horror Inside the Home
Snake horror has typically kept audiences in a jungle or woodland setting, so finding ourselves trapped inside with a Black Mamba is different and unique. But the constant cutting back and forth between the antagonists and the hapless police commander cuts much of the edge out of the film, which is a shame. Venom is penned by Robert Carrington, whose Wait Until Dark opened my eyes to how different types of horror can be effective. Carrington weaponized blindness and trust in a way that frightened me to my core. Knowing that he was the scriptwriter made me feel like I was in for a chamber piece of slimy terror. While Venom still managed to chill me, I’m left wondering what could have been had the film stuck to a singular location.
Standout Performances Drive the Tension in Venom
The true magic of Venom comes not from the snake, but from two of the co-leads. Klaus Kinski and Oliver Reed grab this film’s pacing by the throat and keep it in a chokehold. Kinski plays Jacmel as a snake. He slithers his way around in a calculating way, ready to attack with his venomous “bite” at the drop of a hat. In comparison, Reed plays Dave, almost, as a Kuklinski-like villain. Reed takes no prisoners and wants to leave no one alive. The way these two clash, even though they’re after the same thing, provides one of the most fascinating performances in horror history. (Yes, I know Klaus Kinski is a genuinely bad person.)
One of the first YouTube channels I both subscribed to and ‘clicked the bell’ for was Crypt TV. Alongside Omeleto (which came shortly after), Crypt TV regularly and proudly pushed incredible, independent, short-form genre content into my feed. And I would always eat it up. For those curious, Crypt TV is still platforming wonderful horror for those cool cats out there who love horror. The latest short film to find a home on their channel is a nifty, slightly absurdist, slightly liminal, (and shot on 35mm!) all-around haunting piece of horror called Housewife. Spoiler alert, it’s worth your time.
A Bloody Accident Sparks the Horror in Housewife
Housewife follows Julia (Shannon Collis), who accidentally cuts her finger while tidying up and bleeds on a long-forgotten dollhouse. Life gets flipped upside down when Julia’s blood becomes one with the dollhouse.
I have covered tons of short films as singular pieces and in blocks. Short films, I’ve always said, are the cornerstone of horror. In a quantitative sense, more creativity has cumulatively shone in short films than in features (that I have seen). Housewife continues that streak. Its premise is simple, but not in a way that feels underwritten. Writer/directors Greta Guthrie and Jake Lazarow’s short film, based on Miranda Parkin’s original character, is as impactful as it is frightening.
A Refreshing and Terrifyingly Original Creature Concept
Post-Bakemono, I was worried that I may have seen it all. At the end of the day, how many original ideas can be left? Parkin’s character is beyond unique; it’s a nightmare I never thought I would have. The idea of a doll house coming to life doesn’t sound scary one bit. Parkin, Guthrie, and Lazarow proved me wrong. Assuming that Housewife is a proof of concept, which, if it’s not, it damn well should be, they have set themselves up for nothing but success.
When it comes to shorts going feature, budgeting must come into play. Many short films create worlds and characters that are too big for the producer types who use short films as potential investments. Housewife’s creature is wildly creative, scary, and great for a low-budget/indie feature. Parkin’s creature checks, as stated earlier, an absurdist and liminal box at the same time, while being easily scalable to a feature-length capacity.
A New Nightmare You Can Watch Now on Crypt TV
Housewife is intriguing, frightening, unique, and all around fun. There’s something special about being introduced to a new fear. And Parkin’s creature has now dug its way deep into my subconscious. The unfortunate thing about short films, usually, is that I can talk about them…but they’re not available to watch. Have no fear, Crypt TV is here! Housewife can be seen over on the Crypt TV YouTube channel so that you, too, can find a new nightmare.
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