About The Movie:
Evil Dead 2013 re-imagines the story
first made famous by Sam Raimi’s (Oz the Great and Powerful) 1981 cult-classic
flick, The Evil Dead. In this new version, a group of five friends travel out
to a remote cabin in the woods to help Mia (Jane Levy) kick her drug addiction,
cold turkey.
When science teacher Eric (Lou Taylor
Pucci) finds a mysterious book in the horrific basement of the cabin, he
unwittingly unleashes an evil force that grabs hold of Mia and begins to infect
the other members of the group one-by-one. Soon, it’s up to Mia’s estranged
brother, David (Shiloh Fernandez), to put an end to the growing evil… if he can
manage the courage to do what needs doing.
What Is Good/Bad About The Movie:
From the get-go, the film is a full-speed assault
that never lets up, moving from one horrific sequence to another seamlessly and
efficiently, with nary a second of dead time (sorry, bad pun). Sure, it’s a
pretty repetitive and episodic progression (gore-horror scene 1, gore-horror
scene 2, etc…) but each of the “episodes” is imaginative, fun, gross, and tense
enough to keep your body clenched tight. In short: from start to finish, it’s
pretty much what you’d expect from Evil Dead. The movie also relies mainly on
old-school practical effects, and the difference is certainly noticeable in its
impact. There are also many stylistic nods to Raimi’s film, which hardcore fans
will recognize and appreciate.
The cast is made up of relative
unknowns who turn in some pretty good performances. Suburgatory star Jane Levy
certainly makes a leading lady name for herself playing Mia, enduring all sorts
of goop, gunk, and grossness with commitment and dignity, while also managing
to bring gravitas to Mia’s backstory. While likely doomed to be labeled a
generic ‘knock-off Ash,’ Shiloh Fernandez (Red Riding Hood) is also solid in the role of David, bringing
just enough weight to the central drama of the story.
Lou Taylor Pucci (Jack and Diane) is
the biggest scene-stealer as Eric, tasked with serving as the film’s deadpan
comedian. From the timing needed to deliver lines of witty meta-humor, to
moments of drama and a pretty extensive run of physical horror/comedy gags,
Pucci makes Eric into one of the best things about this new version. Meanwhile,
Jessica Lucas (Melrose Place) and Elizabeth Blackmore (Legend of the Seeker)
are just window dressing… until they both get to have some sick fun in
“abomination” form.
Best of all: Evil Dead is one of the rare horror films these days
that functions well as a theatrical experience. You want to see this film with
a crowd (late-night crowd if possible), and it’s a pretty fair bet that the
usual interruptions – cellphones, talking, etc. – won’t get a strong foothold
in this shock-a-minute parade. You’ll laugh together, scream together and
cringe together – and isn’t that what the movies are all about, in the end?
No comments:
Post a Comment