Powerful practical effects, a surprise final act and a straight-horror vibe differentiate this from the original.

Rating: 7/10 (22 February 2018)

A straight horror vibe, some extreme cringe-inducing gore and a surprise final act do enough to differentiate this from the original but, while it may be the better film overall, it can't top the raw charm of the cult classic. 'Evil Dead (2013)' is a commendable effort, though. It's certainly one of the better remakes I've seen. The film captures what it is that Raimi and company would have gone for if they had the budget and experience to do so back in 1981, achieving that over-the-top but seemingly 'realistic' gore-fest feel that makes it not for the squeamish. It's probably one of the goriest films I've seen, with powerful practical effects grounding everything in reality and capturing the spirit of the original. Maybe it is just nostalgia or its odd charm that makes 'The Evil Dead (1981)' seem slightly better than this one, because by all counts this is the superior attempt. It honestly does everything the first tried to but does it better. I like it just as much, yet would rather watch Raimi's picture. That's no comment on the quality of this title, though, rather just the lasting, palpable yet intangible allure of that 'video-nasty' that everyone loved to hate and now just loves to love. 7/10