Evil Dead

The Feel good film of the year!

                                                 Have you had an accident at work?

DIRECTOR: Fede Alvarez

CAST: Just a bunch of young actors playing stupid kids, I've literally got nothing...

PLOT: More gory fun from the Evil Dead franchise, as a reboot shows a bunch of kids who go to a cabin in the woods to help their friend with a drug addiction. The nerdy one reads from a book covered in human skin, causing all sorts of shit to hit the fan!


Like every fan of the wacky delight of the original gore-fest 'Evil Dead' films of the 1980s, when I heard that a reboot, remake, re-imagining or whatever the hell you want to call it was in the pipeline, I had the sudden urge to lock myself in a basement until it had been and gone so that I could wait for it to pass away to the shitty horror revamp afterlife, joining the likes of 'Jason Voorhees', 'The Thing' and 'Freddie Krueger'. But before I could hastily reach a basement (they're not too common in the UK), I thankfully heard that Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell and Robert Tapert were all on board to produce. Ok, I thought I'd at least attempt to keep an open mind then. Soon after I encountered the trailer and my mind was fully open to the possibilities to a good horror remake, instead being able to join the likes of Zack Snyder's 'Dawn of the Dead' and Breck Eisner's 'The Crazies' (some may argue against that one). 'Evil Dead' was suddenly my most anticipated horror film of the year.

Despite the makers choosing to give the young victims a reason to be in the woods - said reason being that 'Mia' is a drug addict and trying to go cold-turkey (even though putting purple bags underneath a hot woman's eyes does not make them look like they're addicted to heroin) - the characters are all still pretty stupid and poorly performed. That's until all hell breaks loose and we can begin to have some crazy fun with the most extreme gore that you are likely to see in a cinema for quite some time, involving knives, chainsaws and that infamous tree. Say what you like about the acting talent of young attractive people in horror films - they sure know how to run around screaming and get killed.

And what's not fun about watching that? Some may have criticised this version for lacking the zany comedy of previous 'Evil Dead' instalments. It sure isn't as funny and it takes itself very seriously, but there are still some moments that will make you laugh a whole of a lot more than any comedy film that has been released so far this year (which isn't really hard when you think about it). I dare anyone not to crack up during the best rendition of the line "SHE JUST CUT OFF HER FUCKING ARM!" in cinematic history.

It is also a breath of classic fresh air to see much of the effects for the gore being practical. Too many 21st century horror filmmakers rely on CGI blood and decapitations that look faker than using red food dye and horse piss, it just makes you wonder whether filmmakers have become lazy. However, with the amount of practical blood and limbs used in this, especially during the insane finale in which it literally comes from everywhere, there is no hint of laziness, not a sign of cutting corners. They said that this would push all boundaries for what censors would allow in the cinemas and they have fully backed it up with crimson, 'Evil Dead' certainly isn't for the faint hearted.

Not only that, but it is actually a well crafted film. Suspense and tension is built up at an impressive pace until breaking point, which then invokes chaos that will leave you exhausted. You barely have enough time to catch your breath and prepare yourself for the next batch of mayhem. You never really feel for the characters, but put yourself in their positions and you'll soon start to feel a little uncomfortable, and maybe even scared - the thing that modern horror films struggle the most with.

                                            She really did not want to see 'Scary Movie 5'

'Evil Dead' does something that I'm sure none of us thought possible, and that is simply the fact that it does the originals justice. They stick to the same fun, forcing you to writhe around in your seat and cringe at all of the gore and wild happenings and proving to be likable and full of character. Whether it has the same duration of life as the previous incarnations is yet to be seen, but you'd have to be a brave person to rule it out as young horror fans leave the screening around you, beaming either satisfaction or disgust.

With plans for more sequels and another 'Amy of Darkness' now in the works, I am both excited and positive, knowing that not all horror remakes are heartless attempts at building the same thing - an empty shell with no filling. This manages to keep in the same vain as the originals and also manages to offer us something fresh.

Surrounded by tonnes of horror films that are either supernatural and spiritual possessions, haunted houses or humourless torture porn, this will stab you like a blast from the past. An unashamedly fun and disgusting thrill-ride, easily the most fun that I have had in the cinema during a horror film for a long, long time.

P.S. Those of you who are familiar with the originals - stick around until the end credits have rolled. Those of you who aren't, it will be wasted on you.

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