Evil Dead

Remakes of classic horror films have always been plagued by the esteem the originals have been held in, with the audience undeniable comparing them to the original, in scares, suspense, and how well they keep to the original narrative.

In order to avoid this comparison, filmmakers have attempted to refresh an old franchise through telling an essentially new story, whilst maintaining elements of the original so that the film doesn’t become too far flung from the primary film.

In the case of Evil Dead, to call it a ‘remake’ would perhaps be the wrong term completely. The film contains a similar narrative arc; the book of the dead is found and subsequently read, unleashing demonic spirits who systematically inhabit each of the young adult cast until all but one is left, but the film on the whole feels far more like a sequel due to the film, essentially carving an entirely new narrative that hinges around the essential points of the original film. This is perhaps why those who are fans of the original should view Evil Dead as a sequel, as opposed to a remake, for they will be severely disappointed otherwise, and they would miss out on some surprisingly well shot scenes, intense and really quite scary set pieces, and quite astoundingly over the top gore.

What fans of the original should remember is, is that in the original the acting was terrible, but the sheer audacity of the horror more than made up for it. This can also be said for Evil Dead, the acting is awful, and the unknown actors used are never going to end up becoming respectable film actors in the art scene, but they serve as tools to build empathy, as much as their acting talents permit, until the horrific scenes of demonic violence are unleashed. Just as The Evil Dead (1982) shocked audiences and was banned by the BBFC, Evil Dead will surely shock the majority of the movie going public.

Arms are severed by carving knifes, faces are shot with nail guns and tongues are cut in two with rusty Stanley knifes. Evil Dead doesn’t hold back in displaying some truly gruesome scenes of mutilation. What is surprising about the film is that it manages to mix extreme body horror and genuine moments of sheer terror, something that films such as Saw and Hostel completely miss the mark with. Fear is built up with slamming trapdoors, flickering lights and the ever present dread that any one character could become possessed. This fear builds up to the violence, paying off in a moment of physical (not CGI) gore, intensifying the horrifying idea of what is happening to these people as they are being terrorised by creatures from hell itself.

As well as delivering some grade A gore, and building fear well, the film is beautifully shot in HD. Before any moments of horror, the sets ooze with anticipation of the terrors that are going to be unleashed. The lattice of trees in the background looks crystal clear and the house itself is a replication of the original down to a tee, something that would have surely been a difficult and demanding process.

If fans of the original give The Evil Dead a go, and attempt to remove any unfeasible expectations from their minds, then they will thoroughly enjoy this ‘remake’. General fans of horror will love the shocks and gore, whilst members of the audience whose allegiances lie in the art-house, may be able to turn off their brains, overlook the dire acting, enjoy the beautiful sets and get scared silly.

Have a gander at the trailer below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceBXUyuv4Q0