by The fifth installment of the Evil Dead has received critical praise following its premiere at SXSW yesterday (March 15).
Directed and written by Lee Cronin, Evil Dead Rise features creator Sam Raimi and OG star Bruce Campbell among its executive producers.
The story follows estranged sisters Beth and Ellie – played by Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland – whose reunion is interrupted when a mysterious book (need a hint?) unleashes a horde of demons upon them and Ellie’s children.
Fans of the franchise won’t have to guess what this book might be. That’s right, it’s none other than the Necronomicon, aka the Book of the Dead bound in human skin, that first wreaked havoc in the original films.
After its first screening at the Texan festival, Evil Dead Rises was hailed as a must-see gory installment in the demon saga.
“Evil Dead Rises is gnarly and WILD — like every Evil Dead movie (and show) should be,” wrote Collider’s Perri Nemiroff on Chirping.
“There are no limits when working with deadites, Lee Cronin knows this, and he uses it to great effect, both when it comes to delivering deeply chilling horror as well as blood-soaked good time.”
Jason Kauzlarich of Fangoria warned audiences to expect a rather somber treatment. “Holy shit. Pure chaos and madness. You’re not ready. There’s not a single bad #EvilDead movie,” he said. tweeted.
“EVIL DEAD RISE is a blood-soaked explosion! All the creepy visuals and unique shooting styles are brought to life on the screen. Cool practical effects and gruesome contortion work take center stage. It’s devilishly comical in all the best ways” , Marisa Mirabal of Fangoria Also commented.
Find more enthusiastic reactions below:
In case you’re wondering how Evil Dead Rises ties into the previous films, Cronin assured there would be “connections.”
“There are links to the past, boundaries are drawn,” the director told Empire last year.
“In one of the first meetings I had with Sam Raimi, I said, ‘Do you know the way in Army of Darkness, there are three [Necronomicons]? You had one, Faith [Álvarez, director of the 2013 remake] had one, I’m going to take the other.'”
In addition to Sutherland and Sullivan, the film also stars Morgan Davies, Nell Fisher, Jayden Daniels, Gabrielle Echols, Billy Reynolds-McCarthy and Tai Wano.
The Rise of the Evil Dead hits theaters April 21.
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