The horror fans are in for a treat as 'Evil Dead Burn' brings the visceral, no-holds-barred terror that made the franchise a household name back in the day. This latest chapter marks another departure from the original team's creative helm, with Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell nowhere to be seen - but don't worry, this isn't a case of 'out with the old, in with the new'. The trend is clear: non-Raimi directed films are taking over, and we can't wait to see what the future holds with 'Evil Dead Wrath' set to unleash its fury in 2028.
The film kicks off with a heart-stopping car crash that sets the tone for a family drama steeped in grief, resentments, and simmering tensions. Alice (Souheila Yacoub) is left reeling after losing her husband William (George Pullar), and the complex web of relationships between his family members - including brother Joseph (Hunter Doohan) and girlfriend Thya (Luciane Buchanan), as well as their less-than-sympathetic parents, Susan (Tandi Wright) and Edgar (Erroll Shand) - provides a rich backdrop for the mayhem that's about to unfold. And when the post-funeral gathering descends into chaos at their dilapidated family home, you know it's only a matter of time before the Deadites make their presence known.
Behind the wheel is director Sébastien Vaniček, who's traded in his spider horror 'Infested' for a franchise that's all about unleashing hell. With Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert still on board as producers, we know Vaniček's got big shoes to fill - but he's certainly trying with a narrative that juggles multiple relationships while the characters succumb to demonic possession. The result? A film that's been praised for its extreme gore, which some have likened to the notorious New French Extremity horror movement of the early 2000s. It's a bold move, and one that's sure to polarise audiences.
While 'Evil Dead Burn' isn't a direct sequel to 2023's 'Evil Dead Rise', it shares a similar lakeside opening sequence - and that's no coincidence. The post-credits scene attempts to draw a connection between the two, but we'll have to wait and see if it's more than just a clever trick of the light. One thing's for sure: these post-Raimi entries are making waves, both critically and at the box office - but can they ever truly escape the shadow of that iconic 1983 original?
'Evil Dead Burn' is another instalment in this trend towards character development before the inevitable, gruesome transformations. It's a brave approach, one that aims to add depth before the flesh-stripping begins. And while it may not quite recapture the nasty, darkly comic transgressions of the first film, 'Burn' does come closest - but will it be enough to satisfy fans who crave more of that same old evil magic? Time (and audiences) will tell.