I’m not a disciple of Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead franchise. I’ve seen the first one a couple times (and not too recently), never seen the second and have watched Army of Darkness a couple times as well. Now when I say disciple I’m referring to someone like the ticket-taker at the theater where I saw the new Evil Dead remake. As we were walking in he asked the gentleman in front of me, “Are you here to see Evil Dead?” He was nearly breathless when the man responded in the affirmative. “Oh man, and I hear there’s gonna be another one and it’s going to tie this one into the original and– I can’t wait!” I thought I might need to find him a paper bag to breathe into he was so excited.
I don’t tell you this story to make fun of the kid, but to draw a comparison between my level of anticipation and his, which I cannot match. I was certainly interested. An interest stemming from the promise of no CGI and all practical effects and the studio’s promise I would be seeing “The most terrifying film” I would ever see. Lofty, but okay.
To the last point, I’d argue Evil Dead isn’t at all terrifying or even very scary, however, that isn’t to say it’s a disappointment. In fact, I was a little taken aback when that tagline was used for the film considering I never found the original to be all that terrifying or scary, but more a fun, gory, good time. Luckily, the remake goes more for that vibe than the terrifying and when it works, it works, but there are some issues preventing it from being an out-and-out winner.
Director Fede Alvarez and his co-conspirators on the screenplay — Diablo Cody (Juno, Jennifer’s Body) and Rodo Sayagues — certainly understand the vibe they need to go for. While I didn’t find Evil Dead scary, there is a sense of dread throughout, but at the same time any attempt to scare or spook is typically followed by a gore moment then laughter. No one in this film is as rambunctiously over-the-top as Bruce Campbell was in the originals, but it isn’t short on a sense of humor.
If you’re entirely unaware of what you’re getting into, perhaps to say this is the cross between pretty much any exorcism film you’ve ever seen and any cabin in the woods film, should give you some idea of what’s in store. Add to that a Book of the Dead, a prayer that should not be said, dead cats, bloody vomit, self-mutilation, nail guns, box cutters, tree rape and other various gruesome moments including crushed skulls and torn limbs and you have yourself a movie.
The cast was ready and able with everyone given the opportunity to get in on the action. Jane Levy gets possessed, Jessica Lucas does some facial reconfiguring, Shiloh Fernandez does some digging, Elizabeth Blackmore does some carving and Lou Taylor Pucci plays something of a horror movie Energizer Bunny.
The biggest problem Evil Dead faces is a script that can’t help but mine cliche horror movie tropes. However, at one point during the film I felt my audience was of two minds; 1.) those that were shouting, “Man, that girl is stupid!” and 2.) those that relished the opportunity to say, “Don’t go down there,” and enjoyed the anticipation of what would come as a result of a such a stupid decision. That said, if characters making dumb decisions gets under your skin you may be in for a disappointment, but if the bloody aftermath is more your focus you’re in for a treat.
The level of gore promised in Evil Dead is not exaggerated, though a lot of it is merely the bloody aftermath of events rather than seen while it’s happening. With rumors the film almost received an NC-17 rating I can’t help but believe a more gruesome unrated version will hit DVD and Blu-ray in about five months, but what you get here should sate your needs for the time being.
Where the film excelled most for me was in the cinematography from Aaron Morton and Alvarez’s shot compositions. Alvarez utilized low camera angles and overhead shots to his advantage rather than always relying on closing doors and the ghost that appears in the mirror. There certainly are a couple of jump scares, but it’s not on the level of the black cat out of nowhere (after all, all the cats in this film are dead), it’s a little more inventive than that.
Fans of the original will enjoy searching for franchise Easter Eggs and if you’re just as excited for the film as the ticket-taker I mentioned at the start of this review, you’re going to want to stay until after the credits for a little surprise.
