The film invites us to enter the squalid apartment where the protagonist, Ellie (played by Alyssa Sutherland), a single mother, lives with her three children: Danny (Morgan Davies), Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and Kassie (Nell Fisher). That night, the occupants are joined by Ellie’s sister Beth (Lily Sullivan), who comes to visit.
Subsequently, an earthquake takes place that leads to the discovery of a concealed chamber, within which the Necronomicon is found and the Deadite invocation is recited, resulting in the possession of Ellie’s body by the malevolent entity. While the overall formula may be quite recognizable, Lee Cronin, the director, skillfully incorporates innovative alterations to the conventional Evil Dead conventions in the screenplay.
The lift cables replace the mischievous roots, and the basement door that acted as a barrier between humans and Deadites is now a locked apartment door, among other modifications. While the average viewer may not find these changes significant, fans take pleasure in identifying which elements of Raimi’s films have been altered by Cronin.
Ultimately, those who are familiar with Evil Dead find themselves eagerly anticipating the franchise’s “mandatory” moments, such as chainsaws, severed limbs, and even rain and blood floods (with a nod to The Shining). The question is not only “when will these moments occur?” but also “how will Cronin interpret them?”.
Evil Dead Rise is a horror movie that could be considered one of the most comprehensive in recent times. Its gore is likely to be the most discussed aspect, with its violent elements both enjoyable and excruciating to watch, as well as diverse.
However, Cronin provides additional pleasures, such as a suspenseful atmosphere built on expertly crafted sound, effective jump scares, creepy imagery resulting from an exceptional combination of makeup and Alyssa Sutherland’s expressive abilities, and high intensity achieved through dynamic camera work that portrays the apartment’s hysteria like a nightmare from hell.
The climax introduces two significant figures. The first is a new monster named Marauder, whose creatively twisted design is achieved through a balanced fusion of practical and computer-generated effects. The second is a tough final girl who serves as the antithesis to the monster. While Marauder destroys families by fusing them together (literally), the final girl’s actions aim to destroy in order to unite the family.
Director: Lee Cronin
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Adapted from: The Evil Dead
Cinematography: Dave Garbett
Overall Rating:
Black Dahlia 
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