User reviews

**Mom gets possessed by demon**

**Entire family and room full of neighbors standing there watching**

**Spine contorts to impossible shape**

"Mom? You okay?"

**Crab-walks up the side of a wall and onto the ceiling**

"Mom? Is everything alright, Mom?"

**Projectile-vomits twenty gallons of blood**

"Are you okay, Mom?"

**Speaks ancient language in hideous demonic voice, eyes rolling around in their sockets**

"Mom, it's me. What's wrong, Mom?"

**Grabs shard of broken glass, proceeds to dig it into arms and face**

"Mom, listen. I hope you're okay. You're starting to worry me."

**"I WILL MASSACRE ALL OF YOU AND FEAST ON YOUR GUTS. NO ONE WILL SURVIVE THE NIGHT. YOU ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!"**

"Mom, are you feeling okay? It seems like something might be wrong."

**Bites through neighbor's jugular vein, cackles maniacally while covered in the arterial spray**

"Guys, I think something might be wrong with Mom. I don't know, she's acting weird. What should we do?"

Most horror-movies have a slow build-up. This movie does not. S*** hits the fan after about three minutes and does not stop hitting it. If your horror checklist consists of gore, disturbing images and creepy dialogue this would be a nice watch. It offers some real creative angles in these areas.

However, the fast pace comes with some issues. In many other horror movies, you are experiencing wonder. What is happening? What could be happening? Which character would I like to survive most? This movie skips this process entirely. Perhaps this is intentional, to create space to further work out some of the most violent, creepy and gross scenes I have ever seen.

Still, the lack of wonder is a big disappointment for the viewer. It does not feel like the protagonists have a way to survive, it is often questionable to what rules the demon is bound and the characters are making some weird choices (I would´ve done some window throwing). However, you dont care to much because of the gore spectacle that occurs in front of your eyes.

To summarize, I dont think this movie is for everyone. Even amongst horror enthusiasts, since it lacks some exploration and story. If a bunch of shocking scenes would be enough to entertain, however, you will definitely like it.

I haven't seen any of the previous Evil Dead movies. I judged this solely on its own merits. It's well made in many ways. It starts with a really cool opening scene that had my jaw dropped. And an epic opening title shot that reminded me of Fury Road's.

The entire movie is so loud and bombastic. You could say the same about the violence. It's brutal. I love that they take full advantage of the R-rating. It doesn't hold back. I liked all of the kill scenes and carnage.

So why didn't I like this more? I have no idea. I was having a decent time. But I wasn't fully engaged or attached. My mind wandered a couple times. I didn't care about the wellbeing of the characters. It doesn't feel like something I will revisit. There are a few dumb moments but nothing too egregious. I just wasn't that into it.

(1 viewing, opening Thursday UltraScreen 4/20/2023)

I really liked Evil Dead 1 and the 2013 version. The acts/sections were good, overall they were solid, and had scary moments especially the 2013 one. I was expecting this to be the same level or near it, but it was not. It's okay on its own, but just break-even compared to the films in the franchise I watched.

Maybe I just expected much. Some of the kills/gore were good but it isn't really a big criteria to films that aren't slashers, and to me personally. Some of the acting were wanting, too, and the main characters weren't presented in a way where you'll really root for them. The kid was cute and I wanted the lead to survive because of her baby but there was just something missing with these characters. I think I cared for the neighbors more, actually.

The setting also was kinda weird. Cabins and the woods just match seamlessly with these types of stories. How and where they discovered the book and recordings were questionable, too, but that was something a viewer can let slide. Like the other reviewers here, there was just something missing for me, or maybe it was just insufficient in a lot of areas.

It's not bad. It may even be good for someone whose first film in the franchise is this. It was just pulled down by high expectations.

After all the hype, the rave reviews, the revealing trailers, and the silly reaction videos (God, how I hate those), Evil Dead Rise turns out to be exactly what I expected: a serviceable sequel, nothing more, nothing less. Like the remake before it, it delivers on the gore, but is lacking in originality and likeable characters.

The film takes place in a rundown apartment building, home to single mother Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) and her three obnoxious brats, Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), Danny (Morgan Davies) and Kassie (Nell Fisher). After an earthquake hits the area, Danny discovers a secret vault below the building's underground car park where he finds an ancient book and three old records. Playing the discs unleashes an ancient evil that possesses his mother and spreads to other people in the building. On hand to protect the kids and fight the evil is Ellie's sister Beth (Lily Sullivan).

Writer/director Lee Cronin conducts matters in a workmanlike manner, ladling on the blood and slime, killing off characters that might reasonably be expected to survive many a horror movie, and throwing in a few nods to the original movies to appease long-time fans of all things Evil Dead (I particularly enjoyed the EDII flying eyeball scene); unfortunately, the film wastes its promising locale by confining most of the action to one apartment and doesn't generate much in the way of atmosphere or genuine scares (I didn't jump once).

What the film sorely needed was more imagination and creativity (in both story and direction), and characters that I could actually care about -- exactly the qualities that still make the original film the best of the franchise.

5.5/10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

Ellie is a single mother living with her three children- Danny, Brigit and Kassie- in a rundown apartment block. Her sister Beth- a guitar technician for a rock band- comes a-calling one evening. She's just discovered she is pregnant, and needs her sister's advice and company if she's to deal with the news. However, after an earthquake splits the floor of the apartment garage open- revealing an ancient bank vault- all hell literally breaks loose. Danny steals a book and a record from the vault, unwittingly summoning an army of deadites to their door, one of whom possesses his mother. Will Beth and the kids survive Ellie's undead machinations, or will the evil dead win the day?

Written and directed by Lee Cronin, 'Evil Dead Rise' is a wickedly bloody horror that is a worthy addition to Sam Raimi's iconic series. Though not as funny or as bizarre as the original three films, it is a good deal closer in tone to them than Fede Álvarez's comparatively bleak 2013 version, benefitting from bits of humour throughout. The narrative- once the first twenty minutes of exposition is out of the way- is engaging and full of cleverly implemented and inventive gore. Confined to one location, Cronin's game of deadite cat and mouse is thrilling and chilling in equal measure.

Conversely, other than Beth, all of the characters are quite one-note, with little development or backstory. The children are basically just plot devices with forgettable personalities and those outside the apartment are hardly more than shadows; ill-defined when examined under the light. Furthermore, despite a couple of unexpected moments, narratively 'Evil Dead Rise' is pretty linear and predictable. Though Cronin approaches gore with the hand of an auteur, he doesn't make his characters feel special or give us many compelling reasons to care for them. Ash Williams, none of them are.

However, on the other hand, the film really is an eyeball-popping, jaw-dropping display of bloodshed and carnage so over the top you can't help but be impressed. Cronin shares Raimi's spark for creative violence, and 'Evil Dead Rise' boasts some truly grisly scenes, involving all manner of objects. Cheese-graters, chainsaws and electrical wiring are but a few of the cleverly implemented items of destruction Cronin utilises to great effect in the film. And as in any good 'Evil Dead' project, there's a ridiculous amount of blood on screen- the karo syrup and red food-colouring budget must have been in the millions.

Under Cronin's direction, cinematographer Dave Garbett makes the most of the limited space of the apartment, capturing the brutality and carnage crisply and clearly. His use of f-stops and wide-angle lenses is immersive, while his dynamic camera movements add suspense and excitement. Garbett had cut his teeth on 'Ash vs Evil Dead,' and so was well used to capturing deadite violence and gargantuan blood levels on screen; as his consummate and assured work in the finished film shows. Additionally, the film relies on practicality over C. G. I., which makes the incredible effects throughout all the more impressive.

'Evil Dead Rise' features a fine cast, though some make more impact than others. Lily Sullivan does strong work as Beth, although the role is ultimately one-dimensional and lacking in personality. Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher and Morgan Davies face a similar fate, giving solid performances as bland, forgettable characters- though Fisher should be commended, really, given how young she is and how well she handles the material. The real stand out is Alyssa Sutherland, giving an intense, wildly entertaining performance as Ellie full of a diabolical vigour and energy. Scary, funny, crazy- not even Ted Raimi could have played this deadite as well, and that's saying something.

Although 'Evil Dead Rise' might not be in the same league as Sam Raimi's original trilogy, it's a roller-coaster of bloody chaos that's entertaining and exciting nonetheless. While the narrative isn't particularly special, director Lee Cronin's inventive use of gore throughout should have audiences enthralled. Furthermore, Alyssa Sutherland's performance as the villain of the piece is giddily over the top and utterly memorable, while Dave Garbett's cinematography is commendably stylish and the practical effects on display are awesome. To cut a long story short, 'Evil Dead Rise' is a frenzied festival of blood and guts that should leave viewers everywhere hungry for more.

I just saw the film in a preview screening in London which featured a Q&A from director Lee Cronin.

I had high hopes for this movie given it's current 8.1 rating on IMDb and 96% on rotten tomatoes (albeit with only 26 reviews), and especially because I actually really liked the 2013 remake (which was not the best received by fans and critics alike). I would say that generally, it didn't disappoint, but it certainly didn't smash it out of the park for me either.

The good:

• Gory, gory, gory. Wow. A gorefest, but somehow not overdone. It features a few massive gore moments that are memorable.

• Modern day special FX make Sam Raimi from the 1980s sad he was stuck with playdoh and experimental techniques. The characters all look damn scary.

• Acting was generally good. Nothing groundbreaking but Alyssa Campbell was fantastic (both when normal and, especially, when possessed

• Sufficiently different from the original Evil Dead that it felt fresh and wasn't boring.

• Considering all of the Evil Deads were in a cabin in the woods, this felt like a tough ask to feature the entire film in an apartment block. But the new world that was created was dark and gloomy, and certainly fit the bill.

The 'bad':

• It's not an earth shatteringly different movie to ones you may have seen, meaning it's not going to "blow you away". It very much sticks to its lane paying respect to the Evil Dead and even the remake in some parts.

• It is pretty predictable, which can be forgiven by the fact that it's more of a slasher than any psychologically disturbing film (I'd say the 2013 remake was more psychologically disturbing).

• You probably do need to see the original Evil Dead or at least the 2013 remake for a lot of things to make sense (such as how the characters can 'transfer' the demonic spirit), although it's not mandatory.

I think in many ways this reminds me of M3Gan - it's not trying to be a groundbreaking film and reinvent the wheel, it's just testing a moderately new spin on an old Horror trope that doesn't claim to be pretentious. It tries to be something a bit fresh yet familiar, and to that end it succeeds like M3Gan generally did. It's using a cult Horror classic in The Evil Dead (with its classic plot devices and iconic scenes) and reimagining it with a new location, new characters, and a sxxxload of modern day special FX, so it's never going to get the critical acclaim of the original nor get any brownie points for raw originality - and that's ok! What is lacking in originality or a riveting storyline is made up for in gore and in-your-face moments.

In the Q&A Cronin said that even if you didn't like the film, you certainly weren't bored. I would have to agree with that and say that this film definitely will not bore. It will make you squirm in your seat at some of the attacks/kills and it may make you laugh occasionally too. I'd give it a 7.5, which rounds up to an 8 on IMDb for me.

Over a week out from the proper release of this film, my guess is that it does very well. It will settle around a 7.1/7.2 on IMDb, and gross around $200m (and, in the process, gross out a few people!)

Evil dead 2013 absolutely shocked me to the core when I saw it opening day in theaters. I wasn't a huge fan of the original 2, but that one struck me to where I watched it multiple times in the theater. Needless to say I was very intrigued at what this decade later film could offer. Luckily I was able to attend an advanced screening in my city.

The gruesome brutality is clearly what people flock to see in this franchise. Maybe somewhat of the wacky dark comedy a bit as well. This film takes a classic franchise and tries to brand it to the younger generation and it can be to a fault somewhat . At times it meanders within the rather plain story that we've seen in other possession films. All the while still providing shocking and disgusting sequences.

A great blend of CGI and practical effects still being utilized really holds the film up imo. The SFX work is also top notch . Unfortunately I cannot say that I enjoyed the cast and the way their characters are written. Sometimes it felt like more of a Netflix horror film based on the mediocre acting as well as the cliche writing. There are some moments that I cannot believe we're even put in an evil dead film . This is where a few times I was displeased. I get trying to relate to a newer generation but it was overkill.

Overall this film brings the blood and the scares and at the end of the day that's what people are there to see. I just can't help but think it's a dramatic downturn in quality from the 2013 film. If you're a fan of the franchise it's definitely a must see but I think there will be some mixed reactions.

I was disappointed. The Evil Dead movies always had simple stories, but this one feels like there is even less going on than usual. A family gets trapped in a building and deadites stalk them. Nothing really creative or memorable happens. I didn't even feel any tension, let alone actual fear. It really seems like the wrong person made this movie--I don't think they know what makes a good horror movie, and they definitely don't deserve to helm an Evil Dead movie. It's more like a low-level slasher sequel than an entry in one of horror's more consistent series. Also, the callbacks were lame. And as for the big finale? It was done better in the recent Color Out of Space. Very skippable.

Fans of the evil dead movies will love everything about this one. There's blood and gore along with some scary stuff thrown in there to creep you out.

I was a little bummed though there's still no Ash in this one but I still enjoyed it.

The evil dead movies have left the woods and bring their bloodthirsty spirits to Los Angeles in an apartment building where a woman is raising her kids alone. One of the kids finds the book of the dead and decides messing around with it is a good idea. Enter the younger sister of the single mom who plays pretty much the go between trying to hold the family together once the kid finds out things should be left alone for a reason.

There's some good, gooey make up effects and some thrills here. You've seen it all before but even fans of 1986's Dario Argento's Demons movies might even recognize a little homage here. Anyhow, you get your money's worth here but for originality I recommend Nefarious instead. Still, this is a bloody (literally) good time.

First of all, its definately not fpr everyone. I can understand everyone who says this film is bad.

For me it was a great improvement to the first part. Its still not the best horror film you will see, but there are a lot of blood and gore in it. The atmosphere is great an the mask did a great job also. It has funny moments as well.

So i definately got everything that i was expecting and more. If you didnt like the first one you shouldnt warch this. I didnt regret it to watch it at the cinema. But you ave to be aware of what you are watching here. If thats the case, just try to lean back and enjoy the ride.

Good cast, fine movie. Juvenile, not scary, unnecessary for the horror movie adult. If your looking for a good bloody movie to watch with your pre teen it's probably perfect. The script is okay, the setting is fine, the lighting is dim. I'm not sure why this movie was made. The last evil dead remake was scary and true to the genre and the original story. I know this one isn't a remake, but then who asked for that again.

Just a note to leave you with, should be common knowledge to all of us by now, never read from the weird books bound in flesh, and never take the elevators after an earthquake.

I agree with 90% of all reviewers here. Evil Dead Rise is a mediocre Horror film and a terrible ED film! In my opinion this comes down to three things mainly:

1. For some reason the audience feels no connection to the characters. Why they chose to write about an artsy Yuppie family of 4 with no dad in sight and a sister/aunt that brings nothing to the table except being pregnant and a "guitar technician" ...and expect us to give a rats ass is anybodys guess. I am not like them, I don't know anyone like them, I didn't even like them, so why should I care what happens to them?

2. The look and feeling of the SFX. The whole thing just looks way too overproduced, there is no heft and no punch to the violence, it kinda resembles a Netflix production that way. There were a couple of good FX shoots (the Chainsaw bit), but also a couple of very bad ones (bfs severed head in the beginning).

3. Tone: they neither went for the grim mood of ED1 or the 2013 version, nor the comedy horror of ED 2 and 3. It kinda was just there doing its own thing, but not in a very convincing manner.

I think the ED movies live on a very basic premise - Demons take over people, other people have to fight them (it gets richer with the lore, the Necronomicum etc., but the basic premise is just that). I really believe one could tell hundreds of interesting stories about that, but EDR wasn't it!

Good as a horror but!

If your expecting an awsome horror comedy.

Then this is not the movie for you.

Like the evil dead remake. They did away with the comedy for a more serious take on the evil dead formula. And as a result they missed the mark.

And sad to say as an evil dead the movie fails.

And offers almost 0 laughs

But it is a decent demonic horror gore fest.

And as a lover of supernatural horror I can appreciate that.

But I went hoping for an evil dead. And that's just not what I got.

The characters are OK, the effects were great. The story slightly better than generic.

Lighting good.

In short it is a good movie. But!

In the end evil dead is a horror comedy franchise. And this was all horror with little to no comedy.

The older I get, the harder I find it to buy into these supernatural style horror films. I just don't believe it basically, and so I sit there and don't feel any kind of fear or tension whatsoever throughout the movie. Robert Ebert once said however, it's not what the film is about, it's how it is about it. And looking at the film through that lens, it was pretty darn good.

I say that I don't find these types of movies scary, but I can confirm the woman sitting beside me in the theatre certainly did. She was sitting right forward in her chair, audibly gasping throughout the movie, covering her eyes and even gently rocking herself at one point. It's a small sample size, but if she represented the general public then I would say this movie has the ability to deliver some tension.

I thought the setting for the movie was well done. It's pretty hard to pull off an inner-city apartment building and make it feel isolated and like help is a long way away, but the film achieved just that. These people really do feel stuck where they are and escape is not an option.

There's a trope creeping into horror movies more and more which is to make one of the lead characters a pregnant lady. The theory of course being that a pregnant lady is going to have the audience extremely worried about her fate. Ironically, I think it drags a lot of the tension out of the movie. There isn't a major studio in existence that would let something truly bad happen to a pregnant woman. I'm always very disappointed when I see a horror movie introduce a character this way.

There's certainly plenty of gore. Apparently 6,500 litres of blood were used to make the film and when you see it you won't be left wondering where it all went. For what this was I have to say I had a pretty good time with it. 8/10.

While my least favorite Evil Dead movie, not a bad movie. I think this movie is pretty ok. I liked the cinematography, the setting, the two female leads are acted very well. The practical effects are pretty good and gory, but not as creative or used as much as previous Evil Dead movies. The pacing was a bit slow in some places. I felt it took too long in some places were I felt more should have progressed a little quicker. More should've happened between the characters a bit more so the emotion connection between the characters and the audience could've been stronger. The ending was the best part for me.

I have no idea what I just watched, but I do know that I just wasted an hour and a half of my life on this movie.

It didn't really have a story, other than like 5 blood baths in the course of 10 minutes. It was boring, not scary at all, and i do not think this deserves to, in any way, be connected to "Evil dead". The real Evil dead is nasty in a way that this movie could never be. Here we got to see amateur actors covered in blood from head to toe while everyone screamed. There was nothing even remotely scary in this movie.

The script was bad, it was almost embarrasing to listen to some of the lines. The acting was at most mediocre.

It is really a shame that it turned out to be rubbish as I unfortunately had high hopes for this movie. I really hope no one sees this and thinks that this is what Evil dead is.

As a massive fan of the original trilogy along with the 2013 sequel and the Ash Vs Evil Dead series. I was quietly holding my breath that this would be faithful to the storyline while having the gore and tension of the sequel.

I was not disappointed, once the book is found, it's non stop. The makeup and sound department went above and beyond to bring fans a hell of a bloody ride.

I can understand that it won't be for everyone, but if you are a fan of old school body horror you will have a great time. In a world full of CGI and green screens, it was a pleasure to sit and watch practical effects and sets used perfectly. A great addition to my favourite franchise and I hope they get to make more.

I waited for nearly 2 years for this movie and was very excited going in. The intro was fantastic, so I had high hopes. Then the first half of the movie was a slog. I was getting exhausted by it.

The second half was pretty good, but I was checked out at that point. The Mom and Aunt were great, but the younger actors weren't very believable. The Mom was so good, though, that she basically saved the movie.

The CGI was obvious and the movie could have relied on more practical effects. I loved the first 4 entries in the franchise, and this one doesn't live up to them.

Side note: there are quite a few political statements that grinded my gears as well. May or may not annoy you.

If you want to waste almost 2 hours of your life, then watch this movie, but I am telling you, I have no clue why this movie is getting an OK score if it is so badly made.

The Evil dead movies have all(Excepting the remakes) been all about not taking themselves seriously, they are so bad that they are actually good, there is a reason why they are cult horror movies.

This movie on the other hand tries to play the family drama card at first, takes it self way too seriously, and has no substance, feels empty and devoid of both reason and passion

The acting is flatter than a tortilla, ALL, and I really mean ALL the main actors were chosen from the discarded bin, their acting is as convincing as a politician saying there will be no war.

The pacing of the movie is also the worst, beggining with the opening scenes that are actually the ending(If you have the lack of criteria to watch this movie, you will know what I mean) Then it slows down to a crawl to add the family drama that intends to make you feel bad for the characters(Which it doesn't) and then it rushes everything again, then it crawls down once more and gets us to the finale that started the whole movie.