Generally speaking, I’m not fond of remakes.
It isn’t as though allow no room for certain franchises to be revisited. Like any fan of genre entertainment, I get excited almost every time I hear about a new chapter in the continuing saga of blah-blah-blah – assuming that blah-blah-blah is a commodity that I’m fond of – and I, too, begin to wonder about what new angles a budding auteur might bring to the established mythology. On the other hand, I’ve sat through far too many inferior remakes which seem to almost coast on autopilot far too much of the time; and – in the final estimation – they bring nothing new to the table worth digestion. Yes, it might be more visually arresting, what with the development of new effects and cutting-edge technology; but – at the end of the day – is that all there is? No new characters? No new twists and turns to what’s come before? No breath of fresh, bloody air?
Complicating matters further is when some filmmaker sets out to reinvent a veritable cult classic, which Sam Raimi’s groundbreaking independent The Evil Dead (1981) arguably was. Hell, I’ve read commentary from respected historians that credit this little film that could – along with Raimi’s own mild re-interpretation (1981’s Evil Dead II) – as being one of the prime forces behind the original home video craze of the 1980’s. Literally, everyone who had a videotape player in those days has seen one or the other of them; and the word-of-mouth for this phenomenal one-two punch was absolutely gangbusters. Mind you: I’m not saying that I agree with everything that’s been written and/or said about the flicks, but there is no denying their staying power. Why else would anyone think three decades later that the original story was worth remaking if the films weren’t noteworthy?
Well, Fede Alvarez isn’t just any regular storyteller as the man’s track record certainly now attests. The Uruguayan writer/director got his start doing genre shorts in his native country, and the quality of his work quickly caught the attention of Hollywood. While he’s gone on to helm such features as Don’t Breathe (2016) and Alien: Romulus (2024), helming an all-new iteration of Evil Dead was his first American effort; and he secured the blessing and cooperation of Sam Raimi in the process. This speaks volumes within the wider Horror community; and I think it helps establish the proper context with which to both approach his film as well as critique it.
Yes, it’s a bit imperfect – as are so many remakes – and, yes, one might question whether or not it was ultimately a necessary project. Still, nothing denies the competency of the work delivered because – in that perspective – maybe his Dead will launch the careers of as many potential filmmakers as did Raimi’s in the 1980’s.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods.”
If the movies have taught me anything, then it would be that allowing a small group of teens to head out into the woods just to escape from it all is bound to be bad for them but good for theatrical box office ticket sales.
That’s basically the ‘through line’ for far too many films deserving mention in any one space, but methinks it’s core to understanding what chiefly makes 1981’s Evil Dead vastly different from 2013’s iteration. The 80’s – being what they were – was the era wherein folks wanting to escape from it all – especially in the great American Midwest – really only had the great outdoors. If one was reasonably poor, then a good time could still be had by all in picking up a few six packs of beer and getting lost off of some country roads. Though I’ve been assured by a good many collegiates that drinking is still the best way to make friends and party, most of them suggest they tend to gravitate more toward urban escapes to do so as opposed to rural.
In contrast, the young and potentially irresponsible youth brought front-and-center in Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead are actually doing their part to make the world – their world – a better place: Mia (played by Jane Levy) has succumbed much too deeply to recreational drug use, so her closest friends have staged an intervention (of sorts) to take place at the old family cabin (still situated deep in forest country). Immediately, the undercurrent of Mia’s detox becomes a potential culprit for why she’s seeing things; but, thankfully, that inference fades very quickly once the others become wrapped up in the spectral shenanigans of a demonic force they’ve awakened in the woods.
Now, it would be easy to dissect each character – what drives them, what they bring to the group dynamic, etc. – but this isn’t exactly why audiences flock to Horror. Sure, it’s grand to see someone overcome a personal tragedy; but viewers are vastly more intrigued by how this band of unfortunate souls both clash with the entity and meet their demise (if that happens). Alvarez’s skills are top notch in this department, and he efficiently takes each player through his or her paces to the breaking point with bloody aplomb. Sadly, not everyone gets a death of contextual significance; and yet the thrills, chills, and spills still work wonderfully, mostly because of Alvarez’s obvious commitment to practical effects. Dead is full of spectacle … and, yet, it still feels a bit hollow.
Some of my disappointment could be owed to the fact that, yes, I was raised on Raimi’s originals; and there was a certain swagger to old school web-spinning that just isn’t quite here. David (Shiloh Fernandez) serves as the central voice of reason; and while I think he had enough to do as Mia’s chief support system I just wasn’t drawn to him as the flick’s driving champion of goodness and light. Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) delivers his work as the resident skeptic with the necessary book smarts to figure out what he’s inadvertently unleashed upon his friends; but even he is never quite given any key scenes that speak to a uniquely qualified character. Sadly, Olivia (Jessica Lucas) and Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore) are utterly wasted – their corpses-in-waiting – turning in acceptable performances in the mold of stock faces we see all too often in teen-centric Horror.
While it can easily be said that, functionally, Dead delivers on the construct without rejiggering too much of what made the original work – the Necronomicon here has a mildly different purpose or, at least, is implied to have some specific use in primitive exorcisms – and I’m thankful for that. But if at the end of the final reel all I come away with is how the effects work between the decades has vastly improved, is that enough? To his credit, Alvarez keeps everything moving at a brisk pace – there’s no room for fat here much less blood to puddle – and it’s about as technically accomplished any 90-minute Horror film can be. However, the failure to deliver anything new and compelling in the character department didn’t help the film in achieving the necessary pulse.
Evil Dead (2013) was produced by TriStar Pictures, FilmDistrict, and Ghost House Pictures. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Sony Home Entertainment. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still assure readers that Dead both looks and sounds phenomenal: I did notice that the sound mix was incredibly low volume-wise – I had to crank this one up just to hear the dialogue – but I can’t say this is owed to any flaw of the production or the disc. Some films are just that way. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? This two-disc set comes with an audio commentary along with a solid handful of behind-the-scenes filler that fans crave, so it’s definitely worth the investment if you’re a die-hard enthusiast of the franchise.
Recommended.
Though I didn’t feel that 2013’s Evil Dead brought anything new to the franchise – certainly not in the way that 2023’s Evil Dead Rise offered – there’s no denying that it competently updates the original on the technical front. Alvarez is a bold new voice in genre entertainment, and this one percolates nicely when those moments of tension fill the screen. My disappointment with it is largely owed to the fact that I just didn’t get much reason to care about these folks, nor were any of them charismatic enough to even suspect they’d have a life beyond this tale. (No, I’m not talking about sequels: I’m just saying they were all mostly flat and undeveloped.) While it occasionally felt like a thrill ride, it didn’t work the same way as did Raimi’s forays in this universe … and I did miss that.
In the interest of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at TriStar Pictures (via Allied Vaughn) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray copy of Evil Dead (2013) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
It isn’t as though allow no room for certain franchises to be revisited. Like any fan of genre entertainment, I get excited almost every time I hear about a new chapter in the continuing saga of blah-blah-blah – assuming that blah-blah-blah is a commodity that I’m fond of – and I, too, begin to wonder about what new angles a budding auteur might bring to the established mythology. On the other hand, I’ve sat through far too many inferior remakes which seem to almost coast on autopilot far too much of the time; and – in the final estimation – they bring nothing new to the table worth digestion. Yes, it might be more visually arresting, what with the development of new effects and cutting-edge technology; but – at the end of the day – is that all there is? No new characters? No new twists and turns to what’s come before? No breath of fresh, bloody air?
Complicating matters further is when some filmmaker sets out to reinvent a veritable cult classic, which Sam Raimi’s groundbreaking independent The Evil Dead (1981) arguably was. Hell, I’ve read commentary from respected historians that credit this little film that could – along with Raimi’s own mild re-interpretation (1981’s Evil Dead II) – as being one of the prime forces behind the original home video craze of the 1980’s. Literally, everyone who had a videotape player in those days has seen one or the other of them; and the word-of-mouth for this phenomenal one-two punch was absolutely gangbusters. Mind you: I’m not saying that I agree with everything that’s been written and/or said about the flicks, but there is no denying their staying power. Why else would anyone think three decades later that the original story was worth remaking if the films weren’t noteworthy?
Well, Fede Alvarez isn’t just any regular storyteller as the man’s track record certainly now attests. The Uruguayan writer/director got his start doing genre shorts in his native country, and the quality of his work quickly caught the attention of Hollywood. While he’s gone on to helm such features as Don’t Breathe (2016) and Alien: Romulus (2024), helming an all-new iteration of Evil Dead was his first American effort; and he secured the blessing and cooperation of Sam Raimi in the process. This speaks volumes within the wider Horror community; and I think it helps establish the proper context with which to both approach his film as well as critique it.
Yes, it’s a bit imperfect – as are so many remakes – and, yes, one might question whether or not it was ultimately a necessary project. Still, nothing denies the competency of the work delivered because – in that perspective – maybe his Dead will launch the careers of as many potential filmmakers as did Raimi’s in the 1980’s.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods.”
If the movies have taught me anything, then it would be that allowing a small group of teens to head out into the woods just to escape from it all is bound to be bad for them but good for theatrical box office ticket sales.
That’s basically the ‘through line’ for far too many films deserving mention in any one space, but methinks it’s core to understanding what chiefly makes 1981’s Evil Dead vastly different from 2013’s iteration. The 80’s – being what they were – was the era wherein folks wanting to escape from it all – especially in the great American Midwest – really only had the great outdoors. If one was reasonably poor, then a good time could still be had by all in picking up a few six packs of beer and getting lost off of some country roads. Though I’ve been assured by a good many collegiates that drinking is still the best way to make friends and party, most of them suggest they tend to gravitate more toward urban escapes to do so as opposed to rural.
In contrast, the young and potentially irresponsible youth brought front-and-center in Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead are actually doing their part to make the world – their world – a better place: Mia (played by Jane Levy) has succumbed much too deeply to recreational drug use, so her closest friends have staged an intervention (of sorts) to take place at the old family cabin (still situated deep in forest country). Immediately, the undercurrent of Mia’s detox becomes a potential culprit for why she’s seeing things; but, thankfully, that inference fades very quickly once the others become wrapped up in the spectral shenanigans of a demonic force they’ve awakened in the woods.
Now, it would be easy to dissect each character – what drives them, what they bring to the group dynamic, etc. – but this isn’t exactly why audiences flock to Horror. Sure, it’s grand to see someone overcome a personal tragedy; but viewers are vastly more intrigued by how this band of unfortunate souls both clash with the entity and meet their demise (if that happens). Alvarez’s skills are top notch in this department, and he efficiently takes each player through his or her paces to the breaking point with bloody aplomb. Sadly, not everyone gets a death of contextual significance; and yet the thrills, chills, and spills still work wonderfully, mostly because of Alvarez’s obvious commitment to practical effects. Dead is full of spectacle … and, yet, it still feels a bit hollow.
Some of my disappointment could be owed to the fact that, yes, I was raised on Raimi’s originals; and there was a certain swagger to old school web-spinning that just isn’t quite here. David (Shiloh Fernandez) serves as the central voice of reason; and while I think he had enough to do as Mia’s chief support system I just wasn’t drawn to him as the flick’s driving champion of goodness and light. Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) delivers his work as the resident skeptic with the necessary book smarts to figure out what he’s inadvertently unleashed upon his friends; but even he is never quite given any key scenes that speak to a uniquely qualified character. Sadly, Olivia (Jessica Lucas) and Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore) are utterly wasted – their corpses-in-waiting – turning in acceptable performances in the mold of stock faces we see all too often in teen-centric Horror.
While it can easily be said that, functionally, Dead delivers on the construct without rejiggering too much of what made the original work – the Necronomicon here has a mildly different purpose or, at least, is implied to have some specific use in primitive exorcisms – and I’m thankful for that. But if at the end of the final reel all I come away with is how the effects work between the decades has vastly improved, is that enough? To his credit, Alvarez keeps everything moving at a brisk pace – there’s no room for fat here much less blood to puddle – and it’s about as technically accomplished any 90-minute Horror film can be. However, the failure to deliver anything new and compelling in the character department didn’t help the film in achieving the necessary pulse.
Evil Dead (2013) was produced by TriStar Pictures, FilmDistrict, and Ghost House Pictures. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Sony Home Entertainment. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still assure readers that Dead both looks and sounds phenomenal: I did notice that the sound mix was incredibly low volume-wise – I had to crank this one up just to hear the dialogue – but I can’t say this is owed to any flaw of the production or the disc. Some films are just that way. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? This two-disc set comes with an audio commentary along with a solid handful of behind-the-scenes filler that fans crave, so it’s definitely worth the investment if you’re a die-hard enthusiast of the franchise.
Recommended.
Though I didn’t feel that 2013’s Evil Dead brought anything new to the franchise – certainly not in the way that 2023’s Evil Dead Rise offered – there’s no denying that it competently updates the original on the technical front. Alvarez is a bold new voice in genre entertainment, and this one percolates nicely when those moments of tension fill the screen. My disappointment with it is largely owed to the fact that I just didn’t get much reason to care about these folks, nor were any of them charismatic enough to even suspect they’d have a life beyond this tale. (No, I’m not talking about sequels: I’m just saying they were all mostly flat and undeveloped.) While it occasionally felt like a thrill ride, it didn’t work the same way as did Raimi’s forays in this universe … and I did miss that.
In the interest of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at TriStar Pictures (via Allied Vaughn) provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray copy of Evil Dead (2013) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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