First, it was “Scream 6” last month. This month, we're getting the latest installment of the Evil Dead franchise and this one proves it still has some life left in it.
“Evil Dead Rise” centers on a group of characters in an apartment complex. There's the single mother (Alyssa Sutherland) and her three kids; the mom's sister (Lilly Sullivan); and two neighbors.
When an earthquake strikes their building, one of the kids discovers an ancient book and some phonograph records, which discuss a secret meeting between priests. The priests chant the incantations of the book, which release the demonic entities known as the Deadites. The incantation is so powerful it reaches far beyond the record and cuts the power out of the building.
The mom becomes possessed as a result, which makes her contort, regurgitate and speak in different voices. Normally, I would chastise this for being unoriginal, but the movie finds ways to be inventive and darkly funny with the possession.
The rest of the movie is a series of events where the sister has to keep the kids safe and the neighbors lend a hand. The neighbors don’t get a whole lot of screen time, except for when they act as a last resort to stop the possessed mother with shotguns and whatnot.
Evil Dead Rise has much more going for it than it should have. Most horror franchises can’t think of much except to amp up the gore factor to 11, and while that’s certainly the case with this movie, it does come up with ingenious ways to make the frightening moments all the more memorable.
Plus, there are some genuine stakes as the characters try to stay one step ahead of the demons and they have to rely on wit instead of simply shooting at the demon relentlessly or resorting to the old-fashioned method of shoving a crucifix in front of it.
Evil Dead Rise is a textbook example of how to continue a horror franchise the right way and it’s in the great tradition of horror movies that give us thrills in a way that makes us want more.
In other words, it’s still a groovy and bloody good time.
Grade: A-