'Evil Dead Rise' Movie Review: An Intense, Bloody Horror Film

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Let me start by saying that while I appreciate the earlier Evil Dead films, this isn’t my genre. I love psychological thrillers. And, I’m not so big on all-out blood and gore horror fests, which is what Evil Dead Rise is. Watching this movie takes a strong stomach, and I know several people who couldn’t make it through the whole flick. But, that being said, I made it through. And I have thoughts.

Evil Dead Rise starts by taking us to the movie’s end. Then it jumps back 24 hours earlier to explain how we ended up in the woods at a pretty horrific cabin getaway. The film follows the story of two sisters, Ellie and Beth, played by Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland. It’s been a while since the sisters last connected. And as they attempt to bring each other up to speed on their lives, their reunion is cut short. The culprit? Flesh-possessing demons. The sisters and Ellie’s three children are thrust into an all-out gore-filled, bloody, violent fight for their lives.

Evil Dead Rise Movie Trailer

Evil Dead Rise Movie Review: What I Did and Didn’t Like

I appreciated the one-hour and 36-minute runtime. And in all fairness, I don’t think I could have handled much more. However, having seen no shortage of horror films over the years for FanBolt, I can say that this one wasn’t as gross as I expected. Yes, it’s still incredibly gory. But, I only covered my eyes three times, which to me is an indicator it’s not as disgusting as it could have been.

There is a LOT of blood, 1,700 gallons of it, specifically. So if you have issues seeing blood on-screen, this movie is definitely not for you. Blood in movies generally doesn’t bother me. It’s the fleshy material getting torn, ripped, or stretched that is usually what gets to me. And there are more than a few scenes with those elements as well.

Acting

The performances here were all solid. Nothing felt overacted despite the visuals being so intense. Sullivan and Sutherland both delivered believable performances as siblings, conveying the emotion of their reunion while also showcasing a fairly plausible response to encountering, fighting, and trying to survive a demonic attack.

The younger cast members were also convincing in their roles, with each actor bringing a unique intensity to the on-screen chaos. Especially Nell Fisher, who plays Kassie. Her innocence is a breath of fresh air in the film’s rather dark atmosphere.

Evil Dead Rise — Photo Credit: Warner Brothers

Script

The story is average. I didn’t really feel like the plot was anything new or inventive for the genre. We’ve done the family stuck in their apartment with no way out before. In fact, we just did it in March with Scream VI.

But on the plus side, there’s also no shortage of easter eggs for fans of the previous Evil Dead films. And the flick also pays homage to horror movies in general. For example, there’s a pretty big nod to The Shinning (nod… scene recreation… however you want to phrase it).

Overall

Ultimately, Evil Dead Rise is a gross, intense, bloody horror film. And franchise fans will likely appreciate the familiar gags and easter eggs. Though, I suspect newcomers to the genre might find it a little overwhelming.

I’d recommend skipping this one if you don’t like excessive blood and gore. But if you love horror flicks or appreciate the earlier films in the series, you’ll probably enjoy this one. However, for me, it just wasn’t my type of film. (Get it… type… like blood type. Humor me. :-))