Hail to the king baby!

Rating: 10/10 (5 April 2013)

Remakes are a sensitive subject in cinema. There are camps of fans that will be excited to see a favorite story of theirs remade or re-imagined. Then there are camps of fans that will decry even the idea of their favorite film being remade, heralding the death and ruination of the original. Both sides are equally justified in their arguments, as once an audience sees a film it ceases to merely be a product of the production team. Ownership passes to the audience as the movie is experienced, and as such they are entitled to feel possessive. Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead is one such movie that has amassed a cult following in the 30 some odd years since its release, and feelings have been mixed since it was announced that it would be remade. The director was an unknown, the cast was a mixed bag of TV and indie film faces, and there was a decidedly large absence of Bruce Campbell. All of the ingredients were in place for this film to fail, and fail miserably. Trust me when I say that all of your worries are completely unfounded, and within your darkened theater, you have everything to fear.
The frame of the original's minimal story is present but embellished a bit to provide some weight for the characters. The five friends are at the cabin to help Mia (Jane Levy) detox from heroin cold turkey. Accompanying her are her friends Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Olivia (Jessica Lucas), her estranged brother David (Shiloh Fernandez), and his girlfriend Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore). There is some past history between the group involving the siblings strained relationship with their parents and each other, as well as some stress between David and the others after he skipped town. There is also a little prologue that opens the movie that gives a little background on what's happening for those unfamiliar with the overall story that also sets the tone of what's to come. These elements that make up the first act yield mixed results, and are honestly the weakest parts of the movie. The story and relationships are decent enough to get you invested in the primary characters but the rest are clearly established as demon fodder. The detox is also a realistic enough narrative ploy to keep them in the cabin until it's too late because, as we all know, heroin addicts will do anything to score another fix. The beginnings of Mia's possession are attributed to her sober manipulations to get back to humanity, so the weight of the situation doesn't hit the group until it's too late.
Once everything kicks into gear in the second act, Evil Dead proves that it belongs among the masterworks of the horror genre. It is a triumph of suspense, gore, and jump out of your seat scares, the likes of which haven't been seen in a long time. Fede Alvarez has the same keen eye for atmosphere and lighting that Raimi exhibited in the original, and for every genre convention that he breezes through he immediately sets a new standard for horror films to come. The amount of dismemberment and brutality on display are felt and experienced with every fiber of being thanks to some impressive makeup and effects. Something worth noting is that the effects Alvarez utilizes are almost entirely practical, leaving distracting CGI at the wayside. He's also smart enough to know that the best horror films are built like roller coasters and that you have to allow for moments of levity to lift some of the suspense. It is darkly hilarious at times and it's this sense of humor that is one of the greatest assets it carries over from the original, while not necessarily to the same degree.
Evil Dead pays its dues to its predecessor in the ways a remake should in the first two acts, and does a damn good job of it. But just when you think it's about to get wholly predictable, Alvarez kicks it into overdrive and flips the whole movie on its head. The finale is unpredictable, ruthless, and visceral to a degree that I didn't think the movie was capable of achieving. Horror films have a notable tendency to fizzle as ideas run dry in the third act, but Alvarez saves the best for last. Truthfully, it's one of the most satisfying and intense horror climaxes in decades.
If you're not a fan of the original, or the genre in general, then Evil Dead won't change your mind. It's not going to be a crossover hit that draws in the crowd outside of the one it's catered to. Also, there are some genre rules that are diligently followed, thanks to its tie to the original, which may seem hokey or weird to a modern audience. For fans of the campy cult classic they grew up with, Alvarez's Evil Dead is the realization of an impressive vision of horror approved of by both Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, and that should be all the encouragement you need to see this movie. For those that might still be on the fence, I'm here to tell you Evil Dead is well worth your money. It is everything you want from the established series and then some. By the end you will have laughed, cringed, shrieked, and cheered for the rebirth of a franchise that has been buried in the woods for far too long. Hail to the king baby!