REVIEW: Rise from the 'Ash'es
'Evil Dead Rise' resurrects Sam Raimi's iconic story
"Evil Dead Rise" is a fantastic return to form for the franchise.
After "Ash vs. The Evil Dead" got canceled, fans of the saga were unsure of the direction the story that launched more than 40 years ago would take. Now, five years later on the anniversary of "Ash's" cancellation, "Evil Dead Rise" has been released in theaters.
It’s the perfect start for a reboot.
The film's plot follows Beth, an aunt coming to visit her sister, Ellie, and her kids, only to find out their apartment building is being knocked down and they have to move out the following day. The same night, a mysterious earthquake leads the kids to discover an evil book.
True to form, the book releases evil spirits that take possession of Ellie, causing one hell of a frightening experience in the theaters.
The whole film revolves around the family dynamic and how these misfits work together in order to survive. The best characters were definitely Beth, played by Lily Sullivan ("I Met a Girl"), and Ellie, played by Alyssa Sutherland ("Vikings," "The Mist").
Sullivan's Beth is a single aunt making her way as a sound technician for a band. She never wanted the family life, but seeing her thrust into the surrogate mother role was a joy. Sullivan makes a great new addition to the scream queen gallery.
Sutherland demolished her role as Ellie. She switches personalities like a flip of a switch, going from a loving mother to a psychotic eyeball-eating demon. It was great and terrifying to see play out on screen, and watching her brutal attacks can really make your skin crawl.
Another plus about the movie would be all the practical effects and gore. This movie had a lot of love put into it; the creator of the franchise, Sam Raimi, was executive producing the project. You get all sorts of crazy kills -- one involving a wood chipper that is too good to spoil.
This movie relies heavily on sound so fair warning: If you have problems with scratching noises or breaking glass, I wouldn’t suggest seeing it.
I also appreciate the atmosphere and sense of claustrophobia the film creates. Most of the movie takes place on one floor. The cast and crew did a lot with very little space, and that deserves a round of applause.
While this movie was great, I did have some issues. The kids in the movie are all jerks, and it can be hard to root for them. I also thought a lot of the side characters were meaningless -- just there to be killed off.
There are some items that appear in the last act of the movie that are not explained, but it doesn’t matter because they’re essential to defeating the demons and they create an awesome action sequence.
Overall, this is a great return to the franchise and I would love to see a sequel. It's a movie you should definitely see in theaters; for me, it's a 9/10.
Carter Salley is a broadcast & cinematic arts major and host of the Central Michigan Life podcast "Raving Geeks."
