Be warned and be very, very afraid. It's definitely not for the faint-hearted, so sensitive viewers be warned. This is real horror at its most extreme, without any shortcuts or pretentious notions. Your sensible sensitivity will be shocked to its core. And if you think this is an exaggeration, go ahead, be daring and sleep with your lights on.
When The Evil Dead opened in theatres and drive-ins around the world in 1981, terrorising filmgoers with its story of five young friends who go to a remote cabin in the woods to party and accidentally release unspeakable evil forces, it launched the careers of director Sam Raimi, producer Rob Tapert and actor Bruce Campbell. With Evil Dead, a bold reimagining of one of the most original and successful horror movies ever made, producers Raimi, Tapert and Campbell bullies a new generation of filmgoers with a combination of 21st-century technology and classic hardcore horror elements.Raimi made a wise decision in choosing young director Fede Alvarez to tell his ghost story to a new generation, with pristine sound and picture on the big screen, seen for the first time as it was always meant to be.
Fortunately, Raimi was not too precious about his demon baby, and thankfully permitted Alvarez to take it to the extreme. New Zealand visionary Avarez and his screenwriting partner Rodo Sayagues delivers a startling new take on The Evil Dead that remains true to the essence, while introducing new characters and making subtle changes to the plot. You cannot recreate a classic, but only succeed in celebrating its full potential if your creation is original and fresh, and with Evil Dead, fear has never been this spectacularly frightening. Don't be surprised if you find yourself trapped in your seat, paralysed by its vicious onslaught.
The evolution of horror films has outgrown its standing and has fully matured with Evil Dead. It's an extreme and daring telling of demons and demon resurrection, where the dark shadows in the woods come alive and evil spirits are given licence to possess the living. When the possessed Mia spews the words, "I know your mother hates you and is waiting for you in hell," to her brother, it's no joke, and the consequence of her statement is something you will never forget.
What makes Evil Dead exceptionally effective is that the make-up and effects are tangible and its unyielding realism infuses the film with a deadly dose of repulsion. For once, the filmmakers have decided to tackle Evil Dead for real, using as many practical effects as possible, eschewing CGI effects wherever possible.
The talented young cast is effective and is put through hell, enduring relentless torture and a hellish nightmare unlike anything seen before. It shows, and the end result is a haunting symphony that will undoubtedly stir heated controversy. If you're squeamish, Evil Dead will wreak havoc, heightened by the emotional underscoring of Roque Baños' creepy music that is reminiscent of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana.
Having been a keen follower of the genre since the late 70s, it is refreshing that Evil Dead takes the buzz of all great classic horror films and truly allows it to be what it is, a wicked horror film without making excuses or trying to justify its nasty onslaught. Horror films have evoked fear in audiences since the birth of cinema. We will always remember the shocking onslaught of The Exorcist or a ghostly demon crawling out of a television in The Ring, and with Evil Dead, there are many moments that will become legendary. Let's not spoil too much and just say that no limb or body part is too sacred in the gore fest.
Evil Dead is an intimate encounter with our worst nightmares and the fear of unknown terror; it's a mind-bending psychological exploration of fear as well as a raw and visceral experience soaked in 25,000 litres of blood. It's important to remember that films like Evil Dead are not snuff films or documentaries grounded in reality, but pure entertainment that celebrates the art of filmmaking and the power of a visually spectacular constructed reality aimed at scaring the living daylights out of you.
There are times to laugh at horror with the parade of brainless spoofs that are trying to turn fear into fun, but with Evil Dead there is nothing to laugh about, except at realising at the end of watching the film, that with your severe reaction to the onscreen action, true horror has manifested itself in an entertaining way, despite the gore and blood.
Evil Dead will satisfy the appetite of those who are looking for an untainted horror film that is shocking, intrepid and brutal. Buckle up, and prepare yourself for a bumpy and nightmarish voyage into an abyss of 90 minutes of absolute terror. The chances are that you will not rush out of the cinema and be too scared to leave, but just in case, make sure to stay for the artistic end titles as there is important exposition that sheds some light on the story.
Alvarez surprised the filmmakers with his insistence on in-camera effects, believing that would retain the authenticity and immediacy he wanted for the movie.
"This is such a visceral and simple story," says the director. "It's grounded by five people in a cabin, which everyone understands right away. Because that's so simple, I didn't want to bring CGI to the story.
"The effects are about taking real elements and putting them together in a new way to create something surprising," he continues. "Too much CGI would take you out of the moment. I work with CGI in my business in Uruguay and even the best effects can sometimes be noticeable."
When CGI couldn't be avoided, visual effects supervisor George Ritchie was called in to smooth out rough edges. "Everybody's seen the fancy eye candy, so it was really nice to work on something where we added value rather than trying to create the basics," Ritchie says. "I don't like to see gratuitous computer-generated imagery. It's far too broadly used these days and I prefer a lighter touch. It's a real privilege to be able to do something where if I do my job properly, no one will know I've done it."
From the storyboard stage through shooting, the filmmakers were constantly asking themselves how much could be captured in-camera. "It makes it all feel seamless and tied together," says Young. "Every department made a huge contribution. It's exhilarating to realise those crazy, outrageous moments with all the different visuals brought together by the team."
"As movie effects become more sophisticated, it gets harder and harder to scare people," says Roger Murray, the makeup effects designer. Murray, who grew up watching horror films, still remembers seeing The Evil Dead for the first time when he was 15. "The new story line is a lot more realistic and approaches the characters differently, which makes it a lot darker. Fede is a real special effects nut, so he wanted to get everything in-camera. It was great to work with someone with his background."
"People are exposed to a lot more horror and have become desensitised to it. Deciding what to show and what to suggest has become even more important. I think we've made something truly scary here."
