When it comes to horror franchises, perhaps no series is as crazy as that of Evil Dead. The films pioneered by Sam Raimi have become a staple for the genre with their dark concepts being matched by their zany and gory execution. It has been a decade since Evil Dead has been on the big screen with the last outing being a reboot directed by Fede Alvarez; and just like its predecessor the movie was able to bring something to the cult series. Now over a decade later the horror series returns to the big screen in the eerie film known as Evil Dead Rise.

Directed by Lee Cronin, the new film centers on a family who are haunted by a demonic presence after reading the infamous book of the dead. For some time now there have been plans for another installment in the Evil Dead series but development on the project did not come into fruition. It was not until 2019 that Sam Raimi himself announced this new film where he, along with Bruce Campbell, would serve as an executive producer Much like the 2013 film, Evil Dead Rise is more of a spiritual successor to the series oppose to being a direct continuation from a previous installment. With a new director and a new setting Evil Dead Rise showed a lot of promise leading to its release. So, seeing it for myself, I can say that Evil Dead Rise is a horror film that is simple, gruesome and worthy of its series’ name.

Going into the movie, I was curious to see what Evil Dead Rise would bring to the franchise. The answer, from my perspective, was a movie that was familiar and refreshing. The Evil Dead series is typically known for taking place in a cabin in the woods, but in the case of this film the plot setting is a hotel complex. This direction was appreciated as it gave the series a setting that was, in many ways, more isolating than the series’ typical locale; and this change was beneficial in capturing the movie’s dark tone. As for the story itself, it was very much a tale from the book of Evil Dead. The story kept true to the concept from the original movie, though I felt this was a bit of a double-edged sword for the film. While the plot was engaging, it did not leave for many surprises due to sticking to the series’ formula. Although the story did build on the lore of the series that could potentially connect all the movies in a creative fashion; so that was a nice touch for this new movie.

Just like the story, the cast of this new movie lived up to the series by being simple but effective. The movie primarily focuses on the family being haunted, and this group of characters were a solid bunch to say the least. Lily Sullivan was decent in her role as Beth. Sullivan’s performance was fitting but the character of Beth did not have the most engaging development and needed a little more time to be fleshed out. Then there were the kids who, while a different group of characters for this series, were decent in their roles. The characters themselves were not that interesting but they did have their moments, especially when they were together on screen. Yet the highlight of this group was none other than Alyssa Sutherland as Elle. Alyssa’s role as the family’s matriarch was good, but when she gets possessed is where the actress steals the show. As the main antagonist, Elle was a creepy foe and Sutherland’s performance made not just a standout for the movie but for the entire Evil Dead series.

Evil Dead’s horror is known for being both eerie and zany, and the new movie lived up to the series’ standard. The movie takes page out of the 2013 film’s playbook by sticking to the darker aspect of Evil Dead, and this direction proved to be effective. The movie’s atmosphere was gripping, and aspects such as the limited setting and impressive visuals went a long way to bring the film’s horror to life. The visuals were particularly impressive as the great practical effects and the impressive cinematography gave the movie a distinct look. Yet it would not be Evil Dead if there was not a little gore in this movie, and the new film did not disappoint. While the series has had gorier moments, the new installment could be quite gruesome, and its sense of grit was enough giving this franchise another blood bath.

Evil Dead Rise is another chilling installment in the horror franchise. Despite some directions being too formulaic, the movie was able to shine thanks to its stellar cast, investing setting and creepy atmosphere. These factors alone were enough to live up to the series’ standards and cement the franchise’s ability to adapt to new ideas. Hopefully it will not be another ten years till someone reads from the Book of the Dead, but for now Evil Dead proves to be alive and well with this frightening experience.