Review: Evil Dead Rise is One of the Best Horror Films of 2023

The Evil Dead franchise returns with Evil Dead Rise. It features a new director, story, characters, and setting, but still carries that same gory and creepy heart that’s made the franchise rise from its cult roots to a thriving and beloved force in the horror genre. 

Evil Dead Rise is a great balance of old and new with how writer-director Lee Cronin utilizes the formula and style of the franchise for his fresh vision. Cronin takes the franchise out of its typical cabin in the woods setting to a high-rise Los Angeles apartment filled with a struggling family rather than the usual group of friends. Even though the family’s issues lack real depth to make their struggles leave a bigger impact, the change to focusing on a family definitely adds more heart to this Evil Dead film. The performances definitely hook fans from the start, with the good charm and chemistry and the kids especially have some fun banter. 

Hell, the sheer idea that kids have to face the horrific acts and terror of the dead-ites makes the stakes and scares higher than any previous Evil Dead story. Plus, it’s incredibly satisfying to watch Beth (Lily Sullivan) become a genuinely memorable Evil Dead protagonist as a funny and strong force in the film. So, this new family fits right into the Evil Dead mold while still adding their own personalities and dynamics to make this entry feel fresh.

The same can be said about the way Evil Dead Rise takes the franchise’s brand of horror out of the woods and into a more urban setting, as Cronin still manages to keep things tight and suspenseful. Even while characters roam the same rooms and hallways for most of the film, Cronin uses good camerawork and action to make the environment continually engaging and finds good ways to expand it with time. Also, when the film’s central dead-ite spreads its evil, this apartment building becomes a haunted house that’s filled to the brim with blood. The film’s tight nature makes the growing, evil presence feel like it’s constantly closing in on the family and maintaining this powerful presence even when it’s not nearby. 

The real treat of Evil Dead Rise, though, is watching it shift right into its survival horror story as the family’s matriarch becomes possessed by an evil force that’s unleashed through a mysterious book. It’s pretty amazing how Cronin adds some new lore to Evil Dead’s history by bringing in a new Necronomicon that comes with its own creepy look and background that elevates the power of the evil that’s unleashed. There’s some great sound design that comes with the new way the spirit is summoned and some unsettling imagery within the book that translates to reality when the evil entity leaps from the pages. Never has a deadite’s power been as ruthless and chilling as it is here with how the possessed mother, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), taunts and tortures her family. Once Ellie becomes possessed, all bets are off and it quickly becomes clear that no one is safe – not even the children. 

Evil Dead Rise boasts enough gruesome gore, nerve-shredding suspense, and utter brutality to not only be one of the scariest entries in the franchise, but also one of the most chilling films of the year so far. There are plenty of gory fights against evil that’ll leave viewers shocked and squirming in their seats. It’s wild how inventive Cronin can be when delivering skin-crawling moments of carnage that range from common kitchen tools being turned into murder weapons to blood-soaked fights that usually end in stomach-churning gore.

Evil Dead Rise can be absolutely brutal at times and it’s something that horror fans, and especially Evil Dead fans, will love. Plus, Sutherland’s performance as the film’s central dead-ite is fantastic and she acts as this unnerving, unstoppable force whose humanity is slowly stripped away, leaving you completely on edge. Sutherland’s performance is easily one of the best seen in a horror film this year and makes Evil Dead Rise a can’t miss experience. 

It all builds towards a crowd-pleasing finale that ups the gore and horror to new heights. The new creature that’s concocted and unleashed will leave viewers jaw-dropped by its body horror and the entire last sequence really feels like a true celebration of Evil Dead. Throughout the film, the characters, especially the kids, can make some bafflingly dumb decisions that make you feel a little frustrated.

In the finale, though, it’ll be impossible for fans to resist the urge to roar and cheer for the characters to defeat this evil and do it in a way that’ll earn their respect. The wild moments and bloodshed are all well-built to really leave things on a satisfying note and the big final fight has that epic feel that every Evil Dead movie needs in its finale. Honestly, Cronin’s storytelling is pretty clean, as it recalls things he hints at really well throughout and gives us an ending that creates a full-circle experience that audiences will really appreciate.

Evil Dead Rise is a proving point for Cronin as a rising force in horror that results in a fresh Evil Dead story that balances old and new perfectly. It’s a refreshingly original tale in a franchise that continues to show its strengths while also delivering a crowd-pleasing gore-fest that audiences will quickly vibe with and feel excellently uneasy as its evil escalates and evolves. Evil Dead Rise is one of the best horror films of 2023 thus far and the kind of horror experience that’s incredibly fun with a crowd.

Evil Dead Rise is now playing in theaters.