Welcome back to the blog readers. I just saw the newest supernatural horror film Evil Dead Rise, and I wanted to share my spoiler-free thoughts. It's pretty evident at this point I am not the biggest fan of straight horror films, mainly because they lack in quality among a cavalcade of reasons. So there was some hesitancy headed into this one especially because the last horror film I saw, The Pope's Exorcist (which was the week before), was terrible.
Evil Dead Rise is the fifth film in the Evil Dead franchise, with this installment being written and directed by Lee Cronin. This film stars Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, and Nell Fisher and sees two estranged sisters attempting to survive and save their family from malevolent supernatural forces.
So like I have previously stated, I am not the biggest fan of horror films, mainly because they suck (for lack of a better term). And as I said previously, I was a little hesitant going in, even though I heard nothing but good things and positive word of mouth on this one. So I was a little excited to see if Lee and the crew here could get this one right. So did they? Well, let me tell you. It has been a few days since I have seen the film and I will tell you that I still do not know how to review this film.
For the first time on this blog, I am left utterly lost, like I have no idea how to even put my thoughts to words. So what I'm going to attempt to say was not planned out in advance, so please bear with me. If there is one thing I can say about this film, it's that the film is claustrophobic, it is in-your-face for the duration, and it is one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen. I can handle most things horror-wise, but there were at least four moments where I was visibly uncomfortable.
If I have the opportunity to be honest with you, this is the same feeling that I had when watching the 2018 Ari Aster film Hereditary. While I still get the creeps when I think about it, I believe it is a masterful film and a showcase into what a great horror film should be. I think over time I may have a similar revelation with Evil Dead Rise, maybe by the time I post my year-end rankings.
I will say that the performances are incredible. Lily Sullivan gives one of the most realistic performances I have ever seen in a horror film, and it's really hard to believe that she is only 28 years old. For her to give this kind of performance means she will be around for a while, and I cannot wait to see more of her. Alyssa Sutherland, on the other hand, flips the proverbial switch masterfully, playing the loving sister and mother and then turns on her dark side to play a sadistic demon. Her performance is absolutely wicked, and I would definitely put her in the running for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar right now.
The kids put in good performances as well. Morgan Davies plays the son who finds the book, and he gives a very nuanced performance. And it's hard to believe he's from Australia, who would have guessed with his perfect American accent? Nell Fisher plays the youngest daughter Kassie and gives what will probably be my favorite child performance of the year. Every scene she was in left me begging for her safety and there were about 2 or 3 times I thought she was going to bite the dust. Thank goodness they kept her alive.
The visuals are absolutely insane. As I mentioned previously, there were more than one moment that visibly made me uncomfortable. That creature at the end is literal nightmare fuel and some of the things a possessed Ellie does are literally nuts. And this was seriously one of the bloodiest films...scratch that, this was the bloodiest film I have ever seen. Literally there is an elevator full of it that makes it look like a damn swimming pool. And there is literally blood in every single shot. Sorry for saying literally so many times, it tends to happen sometimes.
The magic of Evil Dead Rise is that its scares are not jump scares like in most horror films. I had mentioned earlier that I had the same feeling watching this that I did with Hereditary, and that goes down to the scares too. It fills you with fear by creeping and grossing you out to the point of discomfort. And the good thing is that it's not scary just to be scary, there is a method to this very violent madness.
One more thing I want to talk about is the music. I have not heard music this insane in a hot minute. Stephen McKeon creates a score that is just as dark and haunting as the visuals on screen, and it only adds to the experience of the film. This is one of the better scores I have heard in a while, and I could honestly see this one being a contender for Best Original Score. Please Academy, I'm begging you!
To conclude my thoughts, and after a week of sitting on this film, Evil Dead Rise is a smartly terrifying and wickedly violent horror film that salvages some fantastic performances and genuine creeps. Do not see this if you are sensitive to blood/violence or you are just a scaredy cat. Thank you all for reading this review, and I have a STACKED week of film reviews ahead so stick around to read them all.
Comentarios