Review | Ryan Morrissey-Smith
- Director: Sébastien Vanicek
- Writer: Sébastien Vanicek, Florent Bernard
- Stars: Souheila Yacoub, Hunter Doohan, Erroll Shand, Luciane Buchanan, Tandi Wright, George Pullar
The Evil Dead franchise has always been playful. Bloody, brutal but with a cheeky edge. Evil Dead Burn is the meanest, darkest Evil Dead yet and as a result it isn’t as much of a roller-coaster thrill ride but rather a brutal survival test.
When Will (Pullar) has a fight with his wife Alice (Yacoub), he takes off, driving angry and crashes his car into a Deadite who has climbed out of the lake (seen in Evil Dead Rise) the Deadite curse is passed onto Will and then onto his father at his funeral. The family and Alice gather for a family celebration of Will’s life. Unfortunately for Alice, Will’s family – his Father Edgar (Shand), Mother Susan (Wright) and Wil’s brother Joseph (Doohan) and his girlfriend Thya (Buchanan) and Susan’s elderly mother – are for the most part, absolutely awful people and they make Alice feel very uncomfortable being there. Unfortunately for everyone at the house, the Deadites are also invited and as we all know that means all kinds of hell breaks loose.
Director Vanicek brings his own flair to the film, whilst still showing some love to previous shots in the other Evil Dead films. Some particularly great camera movements and a very cool one shot, punctuate the film. Cinematographer Philip Lozano (who also did the criminally underrated Cobweb) keeps things grey, dark and grim, both Vanicek and Lozano working well together. Like Rise before it, Burn revels in the pain and anguish of the many atrocities committed. Gunshots, stabbings and beatings are there for a brutal, unblinking display. The practical effects are fantastic making you wince or chuckle at every injury.
The cast does a great job with their characters even if a few of them are one note. Yacoub of course, gets the most to do and does very well as the final girl trying to survive everything that is happening to her and around her. The film doesn’t make a secret about the Deadites infecting a family being a metaphor for domestic and family violence. It is right there in your face, even before the Deadites show up. Edgar is an abusive prick to everyone, Susan stays because she loves her family and Joseph is so afraid, that he tries to become invisible. This all comes out as the film rolls along and bit by bit the pieces all fall into place. This is what keeps the grim cloud hanging over the film, yes there are a few moments of black humour, but Evil Dead Burn puts you down early and keeps its foot on your neck.
Evil Dead Burn is another successful film in the franchise in what is the most consistent horror franchise ever. Whilst not hitting the heights of Rise, it certainly sets itself apart and carves it’s own groove. It doesn’t reinvent the series and nor does it have too, Evil Dead Burn is a welcome addition to the family.
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