Evil Dead - A Cut Above the Rest

In my post on the recently released horror Dark Skies just over ten days ago I advised that if one were in the mood for a full-out horror with a penchant for pure unadulterated terror then the film to see is the remake of Sam Raimi's 80's classic Evil Dead. I also stated that today a good horror movie is hard to crack in the desensitized era of the twenty-first century. However, whereas Dark Skies failed to come close to becoming a horror that will give people sleepless nights, this 2013 incarnation of Evil Dead comes much closer, as its predecessor did thirty years ago.

Like every horror film that is released today, the film has marketed itself on the claim that it is 'the most terrifying film you will ever experience' (see above image). Maybe it's just me having a strong stomach but I have seen films that have frightened me more. However one of my viewing companions did leave the cinema white as a sheet and a newly formed insomniac. OK, so it's not the most frightening film ever (that title will forever remain with the 70's classic The Wicker Man), but it does come damn close. The story models itself upon a similar structure of Raimi's 1981 original. A plot line that may have been original back then but is sadly all too familiar now; a group of young friends, cabin in the woods, malevolent spirit - sound familiar? Taken to her family's old cabin by her brother and friends to kick drugs, Mia unwittingly falls foul of a demon brought about by a mysterious book found in the cabin (a book that looks uncannily like Bette Midler's pride and joy in Hocus Pocus!). What follows is a series of some quite truly disturbing events as the demon begins to pick off the young-uns one by one. The film is littered with gruesome dismemberment after gruesome dismemberment. No body part is left untouched! This is where I think the film let's itself down. Whereas Raimi's original had the gore, it also had moments of black comedy, elevating it above a normal run of the mill slash horror. It's modern day counterpart takes itself too seriously, laughs being produced unintentionally though the sheer absurdity of some of the action. However, it's a brave film that pulls no punches. Akin to films such as Saw (albeit less sophisticated in terms of plot structure) the film bombards the senses throughout making the viewer wish they'd brought an umbrella to protect themselves from what must have been gallons of fake blood splashing across the screen.

Forget the gore, the stock characters, the obligatory one-liners, the best part of Evil Dead is the performance we get from Jane Levy. Previously seen in American sitcom Subrgatory Levy's performance as Mia is truly immersive, playing the heroin addled junkie suddenly thrown into an even worse nightmare with a performance that makes the rest of the cast appear like they've just dropped out of a village panto. The scenes where she is possessed are genuinely disturbing, with clear influences of The Exorcist coming through.                                                  

So, do I stand by my original endorsement? Well, I suppose I do. If you're after a horror that really is for the weak of disposition then this film is perfect. For me, yes it was disturbing, vile, gory - all the things we want from a horror film - but it just lacked that certain narrative depth that makes a classic. This being said, it is a very good addition to the genre that stands tall above other so-called horrors that seem to be on continuous release. However fear not Raimi fans, a wry and self-mocking reference was made to the original, making me hopeful for a sequel with more of Raimi's black comedy to give it some depth...watch until the end of the credits...sleep well.