A fine homage

Rating: 7/10 (5 April 2013)

For a remake of a classic horror film, the "Evil Dead" of 2013 does many things right. It has its missteps, yes, but through the vast catalog of recently produced, generic horror remakes, this one is indeed handled with care.
The franchise creators, Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Bruce Campbell, all step in to create a "fresh" take on the series. They brought along Fede Alvarez and put him in the directors chair. Wise choice? I'd say so. Fede is easily a talented director, but where he somewhat lacks in character development, he gains in style and finesse.
The film looks great. I can't imagine anyone disowning the movie for its poor photography, production design, or practical effects. On many levels, it excels upon the original... but these are different times. Whereas the original "Evil Dead" directed by Sam Raimi had a strong cast of likable characters, the remake becomes slightly hit or miss. All there is to say is that Jane Levy shines. Once the narrative of Mia comes into play, the film truly starts.
Granted it doesn't live up to the cult status of the original, it still carves its own path by attempting to pull off a completely different experience, which it is. You can compare them, but they are really completely different films, and I love it for that alone. Consider every horror remake you've seen that had no originality... complete copy and paste of the original. This does not fit that criteria. This hopes to bring a new "Evil Dead" to the table.
And on one last note... the musical score in this movie is brilliant. Without it, I wouldn't find it as intense or thrilling as it is.