Review of Evil Dead (2013) by Aaron P — 07 Dec 2014

Originally, I was not as much of a fan of this movie. However, on repeat viewings I came to terms with what it was intended to be: an over the top, gore filled remake of a campy horror classic. Rather than trying to recreate what made the original Evil Dead special, Fede Alvarez smartly goes the blood and gore horror route, which undoubtedly sets this film apart from its predecessor. It would have been easy to make a beat for beat updated version of the Evil Dead, but this new imagining manages to inject some life into what could easily have been a huge flop of a film.

The entire cast is capable for a horror film, in that they are mostly forgettable in their roles. The major standout of the film is Jane Levy as Mia, who does most of the heavy lifting in the film. Whether she is making your skin crawl as the demonically possessed Mia, or playing the protagonist final girl, it is difficult to take your eyes off of her when she is on screen. After reading what she went through to pull off certain set pieces, it makes her performance even more impressive.

The film goes through the typical cabin in the woods tropes, which is to be expected as it is based on the quintessential cabin in the woods horror story. What redeems the film is its conviction in sticking to its guns. Evil Dead does not shy away from blood, gore, and uncomfortable sequences. Rather, it leans into them with a certain gleeful enthusiasm. The visuals may be a little tough for some less experienced horror fans, but in most cases stop just before reaching the level of being grotesque. In a world full of PG-13 Horror Movies that are pumped out every year, Evil Dead is a surprisingly enjoyable outlier.

Evil Dead may not be the most original or ground breaking film of all time. It does, however, supply enough blood, gore, and atmosphere to make up for its shortcomings. Jane Levy is a definite standout and Fede Alvarez has proven that he can direct not only a competent horror film, but also handle the weight of a classic franchise at the same time.