Evil Dead Rise Reviews Are Here, And Critics Have Thoughts On How Introducing Children Affects The Gory Franchise
Things are changing in the horror franchise.
Evil Dead Rise will hit theaters as the fifth installment of a series well-known for its dark humor and gruesome kills. However, a lot is different now that Bruce Campbell has officially retired the character of Ash Williams (although there's still some debate among fans about his fate). The newest chapter will no longer be set in a cabin in the woods. Furthermore, while the other movies have all centered around young adults, this one fully involves children: Morgan Davies’ Danny, Gabrielle Echols’ Bridget, and Nell Fisher’ Kassie. The reviews for Evil Dead Rise are out now, and the critics have weighed in on how the addition of young characters has affected the traditionally gory franchise.
Reactions from the movie’s premiere at SXSW warned that it pulls no punches in terms of blood and body horror. Let’s see what the critics have to say now that we’re closer to that April 21 theatrical release, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Evil Dead Rise. Eric Eisenberg rates the movie 4 out of 5 stars, calling it a worthy addition to what some consider the greatest horror franchise of all time. He also notes that involving kids in the story in no way softens the horrific ride director Lee Cronin takes us on and, in fact, heightens the tension. More from the review:
Kat Hughes of Film Disclosure also rates Evil Dead Rise 4 stars out of 5 and points out that unlike so many other movies, the three children are subject to just as much trauma as their adult counterparts. Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols and Nell Fisher are future stars, the critic says, and their chemistry is effortless. She continues:
Katie Rife of RogerEbert.com lists some of the gore that audiences are in for — in addition to that cheese grater moment and the scalping we see in the red band trailer — which includes eye trauma, hand trauma, vomit, bugs, broken glass, broken bones, decapitation, dismemberment, stab wounds, shotgun blasts and more. This review says that even with kids involved, that’s how an Evil Dead movie should be. The critic rates the film 3 out of 4 stars, saying:
Rafael Motamayor of Polygon also thinks the emphasis on child endangerment gives the franchise a new edge, with kills that are absolutely brutal and a tone that is bleak and cruel. The critic continues:
Matt Donato of IGN also comments on the goriness of it all, and notes that the three young actors bravely conquer every horrific moment, conveying both pure fear and the devastation of familial loss. The critic rates the movie an “Amazing” 9 out of 10, saying:
It seems like the critics agree that the addition of younger characters into the Evil Dead franchise has not caused a decrease in the gore, and in fact, it may have heightened the stakes.
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If Evil Dead Rise is on your must-see list of upcoming horror movies, you will have the chance to do that starting Friday, April 21. Also be sure to check out our 2023 Movie Release Calendar to see what other films are coming to the big screen soon.
Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.