Evil Dead Rise [Blu-ray]

Director: Lee Cronin Lee Cronin

Overview

Written and directed by Lee Cronin, this installment of the Evil Dead franchise centers on a complicated family and the demons that haunt them. Estranged sisters Beth and Ellie reunite after many years. Beth drops by Ellie's apartment in Los Angeles where she raises her three kids as a single mother. The sisters discover an ominous book that unleashes a flesh-possessing demon. When the demon takes control of Beth, Ellie and her kids face the worst nightmare of their lives.

Product Details

Release Date:	06/27/2023
UPC:	0883929806768
Original Release:	2023
Rating:	R
Source:	New Line Home Video
Language:	English
Time:	1:36:00
Sales rank:	936

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Lily Sullivan	Beth
Alyssa Sutherland	Ellie
Gabrielle Echols	Bridget
Morgan Davies	Actor
Mirabai Pease	Teresa
Richard Crouchley	Caleb
Anna-Maree Thomas	Jessica
Noah Paul	Bruce
Morgana Davies	Danny
Nell Fisher	Kassie
Billy Reynolds-McCarthy	Jake
Tai Wano	Scott
Jayden Daniels	Gabriel
Mark Mitchinson	Mr. Fonda
Melissa Xiao	Newscaster

Technical Credits

Lee Cronin

Lee Cronin	Screenwriter,Director
Romel Adam	Executive Producer
Richard Brener	Executive Producer
Bruce Campbell	Executive Producer
Macdara Kelleher	Executive Producer
John Keville	Executive Producer
Dave Neustadter	Executive Producer
Robert Tapert	Producer

Editorial Reviews

Lee Cronin (The Hole in the Ground) writes and directs Evil Dead Rise, the reboot of the popular horror film series, with the full sanction of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell. What he creates is a respectful and terrifying horror film that delivers a surprisingly good story of family, sacrifice, and survival despite the large gore factor audiences expect from this franchise. After discovering she's pregnant, Beth (Lily Sullivan) returns to her only refuge - her sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland). When she arrives, she finds Ellie and her dysfunctionally functional family in a crisis, having to move from their dingy, high-rise dwelling within thirty days. However, this becomes the least of their worries when an earthquake strikes. The tremor opens a rift where Ellie's son Danny (Morgan Davies) discovers an underground vault containing a dangerous ancient tome and some old recordings. Not content to leave it alone despite warnings from his sister Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), Danny plays the records, unintentionally releasing a demonic force that will not be content until all innocence in the world is destroyed. There are big shoes to fill when you're taking over from Sam Raimi, particularly when it is his signature franchise. Cronin manages to tackle the script and the directing successfully. However, in the first act, it doesn't always feel that way. There is a lot of setup for the underlying theme of family. Even though this drags a little long, the payoff is worth it once things get going. In addition to a solid story, everything audiences expect from Evil Dead is delivered, plus a few final bonuses to make your skin crawl. Cronin nods to the previous films without stomping on them, organically adding callbacks that don't come across as hokey, or at least not more so than viewers are used to. He also references other great horror films from before - most notably a particular scene from The Shining. The cast is entirely in on it and delivers mostly convincing performances as the living, especially Nell Fisher's Kassie. But none of it compares to the exceptional acting when they turn from living to whatever one would classify as the dead in these films. Sutherland is particularly notable for turning the creep volume to thirteen on a scale of one to ten. One thing Evil Dead fans have come to expect is gore, dismemberment, and body parts that never quite die. Their thirst for the grotesque will be quenched. The effects and makeup departments worked overtime, providing massive amounts of blood, very convincing effects, and some amazingly gruesome CGI. The new setting of a crumbling bank turned apartments might initially make audiences dubious. The disturbing, low-lit, and barely livable conditions are rendered so that it completely works - and sometimes more than a remote cabin in the woods. Evil Dead Rise definitely earns its "R" rating, and many moments in the film are too graphic for any younger eyes. That said, fans of the franchise and this type of horror are unlikely to be disappointed. As long as they keep an open mind about the reboot, they won't have any axes - or chainsaws - to grind about the film.