Plot: A reboot of the 1981 horror classic, the 2013 version finds friends David (Shiloh Fernandez), Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci), Olivia (Jessica Lucas), and Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore) on a retreat to David's childhood cabin in the woods. There the four are determined to end David's sister Mia's (Jane Levy's) drug addiction. But when Eric discovers the Necronomicon, an ancient evil Book of the Dead, he unwittingly unleashes a demon that possesses Mia and looks to consume the souls of the other four.
Review: When I first heard Hollywood was making a reboot of The Evil Dead I was leery to say the least. Recent reboots of classic 80s horror films like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th were just God awful. But as time progressed and I saw Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell were on board I got more interested and when the trailer hit I was intrigued.
Thankfully the 2013 Evil Dead lived up to, and in some cases exceeded, my expectations. A balls-to-the-wall horror fest that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go for 90 minutes, Evil Dead is the rare re-make that actually works.
It all begins and ends with the writing and Fede Alvarez (who also directs), Rodo Sayagues, and Diablo Cody's script is excellent. While the original film had several friends vacationing at the cabin, the writers in a genius move decided the circumstance to revolve around Mia's drug intervention. The actual demon that possesses Mia makes for a brilliant, if not always subtle, metaphor for the physical demons possessing Mia. There are a few bits of dialogue that didn't quite work but then again it's a horror film not A Beautiful Mind.
The writing also dovetails perfectly with Alvarez's direction. The scares start out strong and build from there. Several of them are absolutely cringe worthy (the brutal demises of Olivia and Natalie), eerily creepy (a possessed Mia singing a lullaby from the basement), and shocking (Mia's initial possession by the demon in the woods.) Alvarez keeps a steady and constant pace throughout Evil Dead that builds to a strong climax. There are also plenty of nods to the original such as the car that appears in all Sam Raimi's films, several lines of dialogue, the infamous "tree rape" scene, and even a gross out scene where the color of the blood is exactly like in the 1981 film. There's also surprisingly some nods to classic horror films like
The Exorcist and Hellraiser.
I also have to give credit to the set designers and effects crew for Evil Dead as they did a fantastic job. The cabin is an exact replica of the 1981 film and the setting in a New Zealand forest makes for great scenery. I was also impressed with the fact that the CGI was virtually non-existent as Alvarez and his crew made the bold choice to go with regular effects. It worked and really enhanced the film.
Evil Dead wouldn't succeed without a cohesive cast and for the most part the chemistry between the actors meshes quite nicely. The lone exception is Dave's girlfriend Natalie who left me flat. She seemed superfluous and annoying and the best thing about her performance was the way she went out. Also Pucci seemed awkward at times in the role of the dorky Eric who reads from the Book of the Dead and sets off the shitstorm. I wish his resentment toward David was slightly more subtle. Fernandez was very strong as David Mia's brother. He's hiding his own personal demon that Mia strongly resents and may have pushed her into drug use in the first place. Their chemistry is very solid and the fact that he has to confront her as a demon is sometimes heart wrenching.
The real standout here however is Levy. After watching the awful show "Suburgatory" which she currently stars in, I was not expecting this. She nailed this role. It's not easy to do one scene capturing a desperate moment of drug withdrawal and another where you're being buried alive. Mia's vulnerability makes her endearing but she also possesses an inner strength that ultimately creates a great heroine. Hats off to Levy. I really hope this is a springboard to greater things.
Evil Dead works not just as a reboot but it's also one of the better horror films I've seen in the last five years.
My rating: 8.5/10
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