Evil Dead (Movie Review)

Review by Paeter Frandsen

I'm not a fan of the Sam Raimi "Evil Dead" movies. It's not that I don't think horror and comedy can be combined. I just never found the comedy parts of those movies working for me at all. But when I heard that a remake of Evil Dead was planned and that they were taking a purely serious approach to the film, I was curious- even more so when I saw the trailer.

Four friends take their drug-addicted friend Mia to a cabin in the remote woods to serve as her support while she attempts a weekend of going cold-turkey. But when one of them discovers a book filled with ancient evil incantations, a dark presence is unleashed that begins horrifically manipulating the unwitting protagonists. Mia is the first victim, and so naturally the others assume her strange behavior is a result of quitting her drug habit so abruptly. By the time they realize their mistake, it's already too late.

The serious premise of the film is welcome in the horror genre, but the dialogue can sound a bit "scripty" at times, as characters awkwardly handle exposition. Character choices are also unrealistic at times, despite line delivery and performances that come across naturally in the moment.

For example, the one character who believes in the reality of witchcraft and sorcery is also the one who opens up the "evil book" and begins reading from it out loud. If he believes in supernatural evil and the potential power of the book he's looking at, he should know better than to read out loud from it. Additionally, the characters discover early on that something horrible and bloody took place in the basement at some point before they arrived. Clear evidence of gory murder and ritual sacrifice is all over the basement. That strikes me as a clear signal to call the police and get a hotel room for the weekend.

I realize that it's a staple of horror movies to have protagonists behave in foolish ways. Even a great movie like Prometheus uses this device. But to get away with it these days, I need the rest of the film to be strong enough that I can overlook the retread of this tired cliché. And Evil Dead isn't strong enough in script, performances, or character development to forgive its use. What I much prefer is a horror movie where the protagonists make all the best choices and are still overcome by the evil they face.

There are a few other moments that stray from the rules of reality presented in the movie. One character surprisingly makes a heroic comeback after having one hand mutilated, another arm broken, and being seemingly so injured he is unable to stand. Another scene involved a MacGyver-inspired defibrillator that seemed highly implausible and impractical compared to good-old fashioned CPR.

All this aside, there are some great scares and cringe-worthy sequences that make the movie worth watching for horror fans. The ways in which victims are tormented goes a step beyond standard horror flicks, aided largely by the mortified reactions of bystanders.

The visual design of Evil Dead is great. Atmospheric, dark, and moody, the cabin and its run-down rooms have a texture you can almost smell. The visual effects in this movie are almost entirely practical. The director specifically took pains to avoid the use of CG trickery, and it benefits the film greatly. Nothing looks more real on film than real stuff put on film.

There are a few points of spiritual significance, some of which go nowhere. But two that come to mind are related to Satan's role in the afterlife. One demon possessed character says to a victim, "Your little sister is being raped in hell." Later, a dying character says, "It wouldn't be so bad [to die] right now. I just don't want to become the devil's bitch."

The idea that Satan is somehow currently tormenting people in Hell (Hell itself being another misunderstood can of worms) is not contained anywhere in the Bible. Satan is not in Hell or any other kind of quarantine. He and his demons are roaming the earth, not trapped in Hell:

(Job 1:6-7) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."

(2 Corinthians 11:14) And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

(2 Corinthians 12:7) So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

(1 Peter 5:8) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

And after the final judgment, Satan will certainly not be ruling over others, dominating Hell. He will be suffering the greatest punishment of all:

(Revelation 20:10) ...and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

I would love to see a movie that acknowledged the true current status quo for Satan. To my mind, it's potentially a much more unsettling concept than him being locked away until someone reads some magic words.

Evil Dead is a nicely made horror flick that is genuinely disturbing despite some fumbles here and there. It may not force anyone to confront their ideas of Satan and Hell, but it does provide a decent jumping off point for thought or discussion on related topics.

Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, some sexual content and language
Quality: 8.5/10
Relevance: 8.0/10