It was an uphill battle from the beginning for Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead (2013). Its namesake alone always meant that it would be invite scrutiny from fans of Sam Raimi’s beloved original series. In this case, however, it has the unfortunate fate of following the trail led by Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s Cabin in the Woods. So thoroughly and creatively did that film satirize its genre that anyone attempting a straight take on the material would really have to make it stick.
Fede Alvarez’ remake isn’t going to usurp the original’s reputation anytime soon, but as a blood-soaked, irony free rollercoaster it delivers the goods. If, like me, you can enjoy the finer points of movies where good-looking young actors with limited acting abilities are killed off in increasingly gruesome ways, you’ll likely appreciate it.
The film jettisons the original’s standard “spring break at a cabin” setup for a clunky plot involving a young heroin addict (Jane Levy) trying to get sober-up with the help of her friends, led by blank slate Shiloh Fernandez as her brother. All of this is just an excuse for them to find an ancient Book of the Dead, read the scripture, and endure the vengeful wrath of evil spirits for the next 75 minutes.
Alvarez’ biggest struggle is in staging all of this believably; even by the lax standards of horror movie logic, the characters’ actions are pretty hard to swallow. Where he more than makes up for this is pure atmosphere. The film is a technical marvel, seemingly determined to make each shot more detailed and unnerving than the last. Alvarez clearly revels in setting up hints at the madness to come – ominous close ups of creaking floorboards, big needles, and a turkey carver. In the aftermath, I couldn’t help but laugh – partly because of how infectious the mayhem is, partly to deal with how disturbing it gets.
All of this is windup for the climax – the strange, disgusting, over the top, climax. These last 15 minutes are what make Evil Dead a must see, and the only stretch of the film that reaches the giddy heights of something like Dead by Dawn. Like the final drop of a rollercoaster, it’s an adrenaline rush that made the wait in line worth it.
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