So I have once again been neglecting my blog and I am going to write about something near and dear to my heart. Evil Dead or the remake of the original The Evil Dead. Though I would say it is not really a remake as it is a re-imagining and feels more like a sequel rather than a remake.
So I like many fans of the original Evil Dead films was concerned about there being a remake cause I really hate remakes. They usually suck and are really just a way for the lack of originality currently plaguing Hollywood to run rampant. This is extremely common with horror films. Some examples of which include The Thing, Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween. All classic horror films that were remade and absolutely sucked and should have been left alone.
So naturally hearing about an Evil Dead remake was met with some trepidation on my part. I just knew that this movie was going to suck and how dare someone even think of remaking the mother of all horror films in my humble opinion. But I can honestly say that was pleasantly surprised and thrilled. This movie does deserve and earn the name of Evil Dead.
The film starts with the same premise as the original Evil Dead of 5 friends going to a cabin for the weekend. Unlike the original Evil Dead though, a purpose is actually given as to why they are going to this cabin. In this film, they are there to help their friend Mia kick a heroin habit cold turkey. The plot of the film beyond this is really not the different from the original. They discover some scary shit in the cellar and a book of incantations for giving a demonic force the ability to possess the living. Naturally one of the five friends is curious and very foolishly reads the book and unleashes the demonic force.
Mia now fully in the throws of withdraw wants nothing more to leave the cabin which she attempts to do on her own when her 3 friends and brother refuse to let her leave. She is attacked in the woods by the demonic force in a horribly brutal way that is the same (though a little less brutal in the remake) as the original and becomes possessed. She is taken back to the cabin with her companions still believing her to be going through heroin withdraw which would be a good reason for her advancing state of psychosis.
Once Mia becomes fully possessed, all hell breaks loose. And Evil Dead becomes what it is meant to be, a 97 minute gore fest.
Now I say that it becomes what is meant to be because I have seen the complaints about the film and how there is no story or character development. And these are complaints coming from hardcore Evil Dead fans just like me. And it just makes me think they are forgetting what the original Evil Dead was as a film. The original had very little plot and no character development. It was literally just a gore fest and was not meant to be anything more than that. That was part of what it made it so much fun. And the same is done for the remake. That is what I want as a fan of this series.
None of the characters are spared from being brutally attacked and becoming possessed just like Mia. Deadite (as the possessed are called in Evil Dead) Mia is killing off her friends one by one just like Ash's sister Cheryl did in the original when she became possessed. And of course this done in absolutely grotesque and stomach turning fashion. I have a strong stomach but there was even a brief moment when even I cringed at the sight of one of these gory scenes.
I have also seen the complaints that this film lacks the humor of the original which I find equally as wrong as complaining about the lack of story and character development. The original film had no humor either and was not intended to be funny. It was not until Evil Dead 2 which is more of a remake of the original than the 2013 Evil Dead film that humor was introduced. And that humor became even larger in Army of Darkness or as it was originally titled The Medieval Dead.
Evil Dead does work as it's own stand alone film in the series and also an excellent addition to the series. It is a great film if a person goes into it knowing what to expect. Lots of gore and brutality and just a simple idea that is plainly fun movie going. Now I'm sure not everyone would say this is their idea of a fun movie, but for horror movie fans, it is a very fun movie and at times can be humorous. Even though it is a more uncomfortable humor because it does make one wonder if it is appropriate to laugh. But humor none the less.
So my overall thoughts on Evil Dead are it is a good movie for just having some fun at a movie if you are into horror films. And while I feel that it is important for movies to have a strong plot and character development, sometimes seeing a film without these things and just getting right to the bare bones of what the movie is about is a really great movie going experience. So with that I say Evil Dead did everything it set out to do and did it in true over the top Evil Dead fashion. And I'm thrilled to say this will be put in my film collection right along side, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, and Army of Darkness.
