Mediocre Horror Film with a Legendary Title

Rating: 6/10 (11 April 2013)

Evil Dead was a mediocre horror film sporting a legendary title. Legions of fan-boys demanded, hallucinated, or expected a remake of The Evil Dead. I, admittedly, have a hint of the The Evil Dead fanboyism in my veins; I admired the low-budget efforts of the original, reveled in dark horror / comedy of the second, and was amused by Army of Darkness.
I was immediately disheartened with the character development of the film. Character development in horror movies shouldn't extend much beyond examining a characters reactions to horrific events. Learning about childhood memories, lost lovers, dead parents simply warns us that someone is going to die. The original Evil Dead developed a slow yet ever constant feeling of unease; you felt as if someone was about to snap at any moment. The remake conveniently uses the excuse of drug withdrawal to force the kids to remain at the cabin despite strange things happening. Then, suddenly, bam! Possession! People are hacking each other to bits.
The attention to gore and brutal scenes were a hallmark of the original, but it was well-prefaced with foreboding and unease. I found myself having little compassion for the characters and was unfazed by the sudden emergence of self-mutilation and violent possessions.
Admittedly, the movie lost me after Mia was buried. Her return and defeat of the risen one found me out of believability. Obviously, this movie isn't realistic, but a dual syringe cattle-prod defibrillator revive-o-matic with car battery? When she rose I hoped she was still possessed. Also, the hippy-stoner who wasn't high and had an odd interest in the occult was just a little off-putting.
I enjoyed the setting in the woods. I enjoyed the painful, brutal scenes for their reminders of the original. I didn't enjoy the new characters, the plot hook, nor the pacing of the movie. Bruce Campbell's 'Groovy' was my favorite part of the movie. 6.0 of 10.0.