We've all been thinking the same thing recently, The Pitt season 3 is too far away and there isn't enough out there to make us wince with nausea at the sight of gruesome blood and guts. That is until now, as the latest film in the Evil Dead franchise is here to push viewers into cringing and squirming as director Sébastien Vaniček throws some of the most brutal gore we'll see this year at the screen.
Evil Dead Burn opens with the deadite (Jessica) that bookended the previous film, Evil Dead Rise. Two friends go fishing but when Joseph (Hunter Doohan) unearths his late grandfather's dagger and years of research, Jessica is awakened and quickly massacres the two fisherman. Still in her demonic form, she stumbles upon Joseph's brother Will (George Pullar), whom she kills and possesses in order to take out the family and find the dagger that is said to be able to destroy their evil.
Evil Dead Rise made use of the Necronomicon and the lore of the series, but largely operated as a standalone story. This still limits how tied to the original films it is, but it dives a bit more into the creepy tapes from the previous film and the conventions of the demonic beings at the heart of everything. At times that expansion of the lore feels a bit forced, but for the most part I liked getting to know just a bit more about the voice behind everything in Evil Dead Rise. Like the previous film this centers around a family, and while I did find myself less connected to this one I do find that having a familial unit as the central cast gives the film a sense of emotional stakes that are somewhat lacking in the 2013 film.
The cast overall is nothing special, but Souheila Yacoub as Will's widow is a clear highlight as the one we largely follow throughout the film. Luciane Buchanan is also terrific as Joseph's girlfriend, with her performance getting straight up awesome once she becomes possessed. The rest of the cast really didn't wow me, especially when compared to the ensemble from Evil Dead Rise. I will say though, Hunter Doohan looks eerily similar to the late Anton Yelchin which threw me off quite a bit.
While I did find myself less connected to the character this time around, Sébastien Vaniček makes up for that by cementing himself as one of the top up and coming horror filmmakers out there. If you haven't seen his spider-horror Infested definitely check that out, as it showcases the visual flare that made him a perfect choice for an Evil Dead movie. There are scenes that straight up look gorgeous, but it's the frenetic way he uses the camera in the more action heavy scenes that wowed me, especially in the long take that was used in the film's first trailer. The action is shot remarkably well, but is also heightened by some spectacular stunt work, making all of the pain and brutality feel as authentic as possible.
With this being a modern Evil Dead movie I also have to mention the gore. This doesn't hit the heights of the 2013 film (that one genuinely grosses me out at points), but it is in my opinion a firm step up from Evil Dead Rise in the gore department. The makeup effects are absolutely disgusting in the best way, and there are a handful of moments that had me cringing in my seat. It isn't quite Terrifier levels of intense gore, but it isn't far off.
On the whole the film is limited by not connecting to the characters as much, as well as some instances where bad decisions by characters make you roll your eyes a bit too much, but this is still a very strong entry into the franchise. 3.5/5
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