“The Evil Dead” is still a show-stopper of a splatter film that doesn’t quite match the series’ more famous all-out horror comedy DNA from “Evil Dead 2.” Where Raimi’s film comes up short in terms of scares, Álvarez brings its intentions to terrifying fruition in “Evil Dead” with a burning intensity. Enter “Evil Dead Rise,” which looks like it will capture the tense yet playful spirit of the 1981 original while leaning into the darker spirit of the 2013 remake.
The ruthless new trailer indicates that, in addition to the good stuff we’ve come to expect from these movies, “Evil Dead Rise” is going to provide a disturbing mirror of the fears and anxieties that come with being a parent. Álvarez’s film attempted a similar personal reckoning, as Mia (Jane Levy) comes into contact with the Deadites in the midst of trying to detox off of heroin.
The children here are going to see their mother, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), brutalize people by means of needles and cheese graters, in addition to their aunt, Beth (Lily Sullivan) wielding a bloody chainsaw. But at the same time, the few jabs at humor indicate that’s not going to be all gloomy. It looks like Deadite Ellie has a sly sense of humor too, giving the impression that a kiss from her daughter is all the cure she needs. Of course, she says this while standing in front of the door covered in blood, with a haunting grimace on her face.
If this is just what they’re showing us now, then I can’t wait to see what else this long-awaited sequel has in store for us.
“Evil Dead Rise” is set to hit theaters on April 21, 2023.