Evil Dead

Maybe it's because I haven't seen many 2013 movies yet this year. Or maybe it's because those that I have seen were a bit underwhelming / disappointing. Either way, Evil Dead is the first solidly good movie of the year, and the best I've seen so far.

Evil Dead is more a reimagining or continuence, even, than it is a remake. The fact that Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell produced this go around was very encouraging. Evil Dead was their baby, the movie that put them on the map. And if they are approving this version, then it gave me hope. Much like the first film, this version features the book of the dead, the same flesh covered book filled with potions and maybe witchcraft, as the first film. Also like the first film, it follows five friends who get together at a creepy abandoned cabin in the woods. However, this time around, they are not there for a booze and party filled weekend. Refreshingly, they are at the cabin to help Mia (Jane Levy) overcome her drug addiction. With the help of her hometown friends Olivia (Jessica Lucas) and Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci), as well as her old brother David (Shiloh Fernandez) who left home and abandoned her with a sick mother as soon as possible. Also there? David's bland blonde girlfriend Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore), who barely has any dialogue at all and doesn't even speak until about halfway into the movie. So, of course, the group finds the book of the dead. Of course, the brainy teacher Eric is entrigued by it and accidentally says a few words which awakens the evil. And of course, gory, scary craziness ensues. And it's all so damn fun.

I'm not saying Evil Dead is a perfect movie experience. There was one main thing I didn't love about the movie. But there also were quite a few things I really loved about it. First of all, I loved the concept. I thoroughly enjoyed the reason the group was at the cabin. It was a change of pace from every other horror movie where a bunch of hot kids just want to drink and hook up and party the weekend away. You immediately get the sense that these characters are people you should root for. After all, they aren't here to get drunk and high, they are here to help their friend, who is struggling to overcome her dependence to drugs (which they hint may stem from the fact that she watched her mother go through things her brother can only imagine). The second thing I loved about Evil Dead was the fact that they cast a group of actors who were actually good actors. Blackmore was the weakest link but also had the weakest character, someone we knew nothing about. Lucas and Fernandez were solid with Fernandez getting better and better as the movie went along. But the MVP's, for sure, were Levy and Pucci. Pucci was great as the character you thought might be the biggest coward, but who managed to be the hero of the story. And Levy gave a truly great horror movie performance, one of the best I've seen recently. The third thing I loved about the movie was the fact that it was A HORROR MOVIE. None of this PG-13 crap. None of this "Oh, your house is being haunted by a ghost" crap. Evil Dead is a balls to the wall, bad ass, gory, greusome, disgusting, terrifying, bad ass horror movie. And I loved nearly every deranged gross minute.

Of course, like I said, the movie isn't perfect. In fact, the major problem I had was with the ending. In general terms, I think there were at least two better places where the film could have ended, and in specific terms, without giving too much away, I didn't love the treatment given to Pucci's Eric in the final moments, but maybe that was only because he was my favorite character. I think there was definiely a better ending than the one we were given, but overall, Evil Dead is a fun, gory old school horror film. It's the kind of movie I grew up watching and the kind of horror movie I absolutely love.

Grade: B