Evil Dead Rise Review - IGN (2024)

Evil Dead Rise opens in theaters on April 21.

Writing and directing a sequel to a beloved horror franchise is no cakewalk, despite how easy Lee Cronin makes it look with Evil Dead Rise. His continuation of the iconic series about Deadites and boomsticks is as vicious as Fede Alvarez's stupendously malevolent 2013 remake/sequel, opens the door for future entries to explore the lore in exciting ways, and owns its place in the series as a standalone horror bombshell. Cronin's ability to make signature Evil Dead staples his own (like the whooshy "Demon Vision" camera zooms made famous by Raimi) makes Rise its own three-headed beast. It's aggressively scary, it's sickly hilarious, and it's a stone-cold killer.

Rise finds a comfortable middle ground between 2013's rip-your-heart-out Evil Dead and Sam Raimi's more humorous trilogy of sequels. Cronin's special effects team challenges the whole series’ nastiest mutilation scenes with gnarly practical effects as swallowed glass protrudes from bodies or elevators gush waves of blood. Rise somehow keeps up with Fede Alvarez's reported 70,000 gallons of blood used in 2013's Evil Dead while keying into a more heartfelt, yet still traumatic battle against Deadites that reclaims some of Raimi's comedy chops, and uses that dark humor to contrast the darkest plunges.

Alyssa Sutherland maniacally teases victims as single mother Ellie, our new patient zero Deadite. After her brilliant transformation into this hellish, screeching vessel of evil, she manipulates her motherly playtime voice as a sick trick to mock whatever flickers of her soul still exist. Sutherland spews a handful of funny-yet-freaky lines like "Mommy's with the maggots now!" that hit even harder when chased by a nightmarish rotten smile. She puts on a Deadite acting showcase by enduring squeam-inducing body horror while cackling madly around discarded corpses.

Sutherland puts on a Deadite acting showcase by enduring squeam-inducing body horror while cackling madly.

Rise isn't as comedy-forward as Evil Dead II, though, and the setup is genuinely unsettling. Cronin's newly introduced Necronomicon, which is latched by jagged teeth like a venus fly trap, unleashes the same merciless Deadite obscenities on Ellie's three children and her visiting sister Beth. Neighbors stuck on the same floor as Ellie's apartment add themselves as body count fodder to keep the slayings plentiful, but it's her family who withstands the most physical, psychological, and surreal attacks that gorily weaponize everything from cheese graters to sharpened staffs with baby doll heads crafted by littlest daughters ("Staffanie" will be a fan-favorite prop). Lily Sullivan plays Beth as a strong hero to Ellie's Deadite villain, and together with Morgan Davies as DJ-in-training Danny, Gabrielle Echols as free-spirited protestor Bridget, and Nell Fisher as teeny-tiny Kassie they endure trials with performances that bravely meet any moment: pure fear, familial loss, and wherever the story veers.

Cronin doesn't lose any of the ruthless Necronomicon action by leaving isolated woodland settings for a cluttered Los Angeles apartment complex. Much like how Scream VI uses New York City as a fresh metropolitan backdrop for familiar Ghostface assaults, Rise translates signature Deadite brutality to the claustrophobic confines of a boxy rental with just a few rooms. Instead of roads or bridges becoming unusable, the damaged building becomes a death trap of crumbled stairwells, broken elevators, and exposed wires that look like tree vines – that’s clearly a nod at a recognizable possession from Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, and Evil Dead (2013). Cronin's clever and precise about the ways he honors imagery from prior films without outright replication, as he dominates the challenge of problem-solving how the Necronomicon's demonic curse would wreak havoc in a more populated location.

An array of depraved Deadite extremes ensure no scene allows us to catch our breath.

As a standalone horror movie, Rise brings the thunder with an array of depraved Deadite extremes that ensure no scene allows us to catch our breath. When Ellie's inside her apartment, she's crawling out of vents with homage paid to the Hereditary wall scare or bounding around the apartment giddily trying to slaughter her loved ones. When she's locked outside, we watch through the front door's peephole as the possessed mamma dispatches floormates like she's out for a Tuesday stroll. Cronin keeps the pedal pressed hard as bodies eject all sorts of colored fluids or gallons upon gallons of blood pour from fresh wounds, all while Ellie does the Necronomicon's bidding with a joyful skip in her step. Rise hardly relents as the ferocity of unspeakable violence only becomes gorier and more graphic – and that's even before Cronin throttles into a third act that births a brand-new canon “final boss” that highlights the morbid imagination this franchise encourages.

16 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Evil Dead

When Rise stumbles it’s with minor storytelling choices, like introducing Beth as an expecting mother (Cronin borrows some moody motherhood tension from his first film, The Hole in the Ground) and religious symbolism that tees up this new Necronomicon. It's not that either aspect fails, but both feel underserved once the familiar Evil Deadiness kicks into gear and heads start rolling.

Those unserious dings aside, Rise delivers everything Evil Dead fans will want and more. Cronin tosses in plenty of Easter eggs on pizza boxes and tree-cutter vans parked in garages as tokens to those who worship Ash Williams, but does his best to veer Rise away from being "just another Evil Dead," with minimal hiccups. What you expect from an Evil Dead movie is delivered through chewed-up carnage, spit-out flesh chunks, and demonic excess that pushes the franchise forward with an attitude of reinvention for future decades of creative Evil Dead supremacy.

Verdict

Any way you slice this sticky-gooey-bloody charge into the next chapter of Evil Dead storytelling, it's a success. Evil Dead Rise is a fantastic blend of franchise adoration, fresh storytelling, and all-out horror entertainment. Lee Cronin delivers an Evil Dead film that's disgustingly slathered in gory bits and offers the fun-loving vibes. Whatever stumbles there are while developing newer Necronomicon lore or leaning into motherhood themes barely break its momentum, as performances hold strong through thick blood eruptions and thinner moments of storytelling (which are few and far between). Rise plays the hits, takes risks that pay off, and leaves us salivating for more — everything an Evil Dead sequel should.

Evil Dead Rise Review - IGN (2024)

FAQs

Which version of Evil Dead is the best? ›

While the original introduced the franchise to the world, Evil Dead 2 is the best Evil Dead movie. What really sets Evil Dead 2 apart from the other Evil Dead movies is the formation of Ash into the iconic horror hero that millions of fans know and love, cementing Bruce Campbell as a genre sensation along the way.

Does Evil Dead Rise have Jumpscares? ›

Between the impressive costumes and makeup, jump scares, and unnerving plot, Evil Dead Rise is a show of horror in its prime.

Does Evil Dead Rise have Ash? ›

Evil Dead. He's the only character to appear in some capacity throughout every movie, as he had a brief visual cameo in 2013's Evil Dead and a voice cameo in 2023's Evil Dead Rise. Besides the brief sound of his voice during the Necronomicon scene, Bruce Campbell's Ash isn't in the latest movie, Evil Dead Rise.

What's scarier, Evil Dead or Evil Dead Rise? ›

Evil Dead Rise Is Way Scarier Than Sam Raimi's Original Movies. When compared to Sam Raimi's original Evil Dead movies, Evil Dead Rise is way scarier. While the original The Evil Dead was mainly a horror film, its low budget and over-the-top gore gave it some comedic qualities.

Which Evil Dead is most scary? ›

honestly, i liked the original evil dead 2 starring bruce Campbell the most out of all of them as far as scary. army of darkness was more funny than scary but i would say that's my favorite out of the entire evil dead franchise.

Does Evil Dead Rise connect to Evil Dead? ›

While Evil Dead Rise is set in a new location – an almost derelict Los Angeles apartment building – away from the familiar cabin in the woods of the first two movies and 2013 reboot/sequel Evil Dead –, and features a cast of new characters, there are still lots of moments, and a very toothy book, that connect it to the ...

Can a 17 year old watch Evil Dead Rise? ›

This is one of the best horror films I've seen over the past few years and the best attempt yet to resurrect a dead horror franchise. This is a gory horror film, it's rated 18 for a reason, so be aware hat it likely won't be for you if you're squeamish.

Are there any bad scenes in Evil Dead Rise? ›

Frightening & Intense Scenes (10)

A possessed woman speaks in a deep voice and tells three children, "Mommy's with the maggots now." The whole movie is very frightening, intense and gory. Many people are killed, including children, which may be very disturbing. All deaths are not obscured and fully shown.

Why was Evil Dead banned? ›

While the original was beloved by horror fans and became a huge box office hit, the Sam Raimi-directed flick did spark controversy due to its extreme levels of gore and graphic violence – leading it to be banned in several countries including Ireland.

Was Evil Dead Rise a success? ›

The success of Lee Cronin's Evil Dead Rise, which grossed $147 million against its $15-19 million budget, has now spawned not one, but two announced spin-off movies. Per Deadline, Francis Galluppi is set to direct and came to Sam Raimi and co. with an original idea that he developed himself.

What happened to Ellie in Evil Dead Rise? ›

The building's power fails and Ellie is possessed by an unseen force. She returns to the apartment in a trance, menacingly threatens her family, and dies after pleading with Beth to protect her children. Ellie's neighbours help lay her to rest in her bedroom and search for a way out.

Which Evil Dead should I watch first? ›

Evil Dead Movies and Shows in Order of Release

The Evil Dead (1981) Evil Dead II (1987) Army of Darkness (1992) Evil Dead (2013)

Why are Evil Dead 1 and 2 so different? ›

Because Sam Raimi couldn't get the rights to his own movie, Evil Dead 2 was made as a "re-quel", which means that they essentially remade The Evil Dead with new people. Campbell states that people thought Ash would be dumb to return to the same cabin with different people, but this wasn't the case.

Is 2013 Evil Dead good on Reddit? ›

I thought the beginning was way too slow and the ending was dumb, but the middle was pretty good. I wouldn't watch it again, but I don't feel like I wasted my money. I've never been a fan of all the slapstick, goofy stuff from the original evil dead movies.

Which Ash is the best in Evil Dead: The Game? ›

Also, although Leader Ash can be leveled to start each match with the chainsaw equipped, Warrior Ash is the true master of the weapon. For these reasons, Warrior Ash edges out the competition to stand alone as the best version of the character in Evil Dead: The Game.

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