This is how horror should be done. (possible spoilers, nothing big)

Rating: 10/10 (5 April 2013)

Before I start, I should say: I'm reviewing this as an avid horror movie fan. this is NOT a movie for everyone. it's super brutal, and it means to be. If you're not a fan of gore, don't see it. bottom line. okay, HERE WE GO!
Being quite a huge fan of Sam Raimi's Trilogy, I had quite the high standards to be met for this film when I first heard about it. Once the red band trailer was released it showed very strong promise.
I just saw "Evil Dead" tonight, and I can confidently say it blew my expectations out of the water. Not only as a fan to the franchise, but as a fan to the horror genre. I think explaining why it's a great horror movie in general will equally explain why it deserves it's title of an Evil Dead rebirth.
First of all, the plot is a breath of fresh air. Instead of "partying teens get picked off by a masked serial killer", or "haunted house with 70 minutes of jump-scares and 10 minutes of actual events", there is real depth. Mia, a (trying to be) ex heroin addict is attempting to go cold turkey with two of her closest friends, Olivia and Eric, her estranged brother David, and his wife Natalie. David, Mia, Eric, and Olivia used to be very close friends, but David left for a job in a shop in Chicago right around the time that his and Mia's mother grew fatally ill.
David left his sister in her time of need, and didn't keep in touch with his friends. This led Mia into a downward spiral of drugs, leading to her eventually over-dosing and being pronounced legally dead and being revived by a defibrillator. Also, Eric has some resentments for David abandoning Mia as well as himself/their friendship.
I only mention how important the relationships are, especially the drug addiction, because Mia had tried going sober before and didn't last due to the withdrawal symptoms of heroin being basically intolerable. Her friends expect she'll say anything to get back to drugs, and that she'll hallucinate. SO! when they find the Book of the Dead and Eric's curiosity leads to some passages being transcribed (honestly, I'd be curious about it if i found it too.), the evil it releases that Mia sees is immediately dismissed.
It may seem expected, but it being a refreshing premise is undeniable. The premise isn't the only refreshing part though! there are also the characters. Horror movies have a pretty common curse with this aspect. I'm talking about the typical stoner, whore, jerk, idiot, etc. It's an easy way to make the audience desensitized to the scenes, which is generally fine. If you loved every character in a horror movie, then people wouldn't be able to sit through most B horror movies.
That makes all the madness that much more real. In other movies, you see someone get killed and think "finally. that person was horrible. those were some cool effects!" Mia seems to be of college age, and just lost her mother. clearly very troubled. David is a hard working, honest man who isn't great at handling his emotions. Natalie is sweet, concerned, supportive. Olivia is an RN, and Eric is just a high school teacher. No one is drunk, unintelligent, or has any unjustifiable vices that make them an easy person to lose. there really are no reasons to hate these people, or wish anything bad on them. I can't think of many horror movies that can pull that off (maybe the exorcist?), and Evil Dead does it well.
The momentum of the movie is steady, but keeps at a good pace. Definitely not a normal roller-coaster type horror movie that drops in some action every 5-8 minutes or so with one climax. it's more like all important back story and character development, then once the tension starts it keeps going until it spins out of control. other than a few tasteful breaks in momentum, it's almost constant madness til the end. I didn't find it dragging on anywhere, every part was necessary.
Some would say that the gore would be excessive, and I wouldn't argue with them in a general sense. In a personal sense, I wouldn't take out one bit of it. then again, I can handle that kind of stuff. I cannot stress enough though, this movie is NOT for everyone.
I don't want to ramble, I've covered mostly everything I'd like since I don't want to give out any major spoilers. The last thing I can say is, if you're a true deadite, I can confidently say you'd love this movie. unless you're a pretentious hipster that wants to hate it to be different, but if that's what's up then I would dismiss your opinions anyway. Not just deadites though, horror movie fans in general...check it out. if you normally don't like horror movies, don't try this one.
that is all.
Thanks!