EVIL DEAD (2013)

Directed By: Fefe Alvarez
Written By: Fefe Alvarez & Rodo Sayagues
Additonal Rewrites by: Diablo Cody
Based on the Original Screenplay By: Sam Raimi
Cinematography By: Aaron Morton
Editor: Bryan Shaw

Cast: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas, Lou Taylor Pucci, Elizabeth Blackmore
Five twenty-something friends become holed up in a remote cabin. When they discover a Book of the Dead, they unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival.

Well the marketers have already shot themselves in the foot by saying that this film is the most terrifying film you will see all year. Maybe if you don’t watch that many movies or seen too many in life. If you have it’s very false statement.

I really liked Jane levy in the lead. Gillian Jacobs auditioned for the role of Mia but lost to Lily Collins. Collins later dropped out and was replaced by Jane Levy.

If you take the first letters of the main characters David, Eric, Mia, Olivia and Natalie, the letters spell out DEMON.

While I don’t dislike it. This film feels like a roller coaster ride. Some great highs, Some lows, but more a local rollercoaster. Not like the one’s found at great adventures. More one that is balls to the wall exciting. It meets your expectations and surpasses them.

This film is a lot of fun, but it’s weakness is as a remake/Reimagining the clichés it includes and celebrates were normal in the original. When the film came out. Now it leaves the film predictable. So absent are most scares. We still have excessive gore and gruesome laughs.

The film has a lot of energy that is kinetic and gives the audience a jolt. By the end though while the film is cool and visually impressive. It is also empty of any real substance. A perfect Crowd Pleaser where you don’t have to think. You have fun while watching it and doesn’t really fit too much into a critical category. The original was innovative and you got a real sense of passion on and behind the scenes in it’s making. Which was half the fun of the film and hearing the stories of how it was made. This film while respectful lacks with the absence of it. Thought his film is a sufficient popcorn film where you get exactly what you expect.

I guess I believed in all the hype because once it was over. I felt it was ok, but never reached the level of excitement I had for it. It was rather simple and made me question the nature of remakes and re-imaginings. Is it supposed to be just as faithful as then. it is more open update changed for the times, but most things are the same except for budget. I can understand re-imaginings if the filmmakers are going for the same spirit. Only different plotting or story, but then again you leave yourself open to disappointing fans who have a fond memory of the film and after all since usually the original was a hit. It’s most likely when you are trying a remake and no one can get fired. if it bombs saying it worked the first time. Then again I am under the late Roger Ebert influence of why don’t we remake bad films only make them better.

Plus remaking a film to me is like an amateur or not as skilled art technician copying a great work to their own standards. Some do work, but is there really a need? I can understand after a certain amount of time has passed. I realize it is all about business and money.

Take this film for example. It’s a bigger budgeted copy of the original, but the reason the original is considered a classic in so many circles is what was achieved with so little money. The passion of the filmmakers, cast and crew, The ingenuity to make up little money with new ways of shooting, Inspired special effects. A sense of comedy and over the top everything.

Though it’s a horror ,it’s fun and has been copied. So much of it’s material is considered passé. So if you watch it now after seeing the copies. Some will say it’s copying the copies.

Now one of the reasons I have gotten the nickname Benjamin Button in some circles is that I usually in the past, missed certain series of films. So I would watch them in dyslexic or backwards order like LETHAL WEAPON I saw part 3 first then 2 then 1 then 4 or the alien series where I saw ALIENS then ALIEN 3. Then I finally saw ALIEN or even this series of films where I saw EVIL DEAD 2 first then ARMY OF DARKNESS. Whose commercials lead me to see EVIL DEAD 2. I always remembered the poster for ED2 from the video stores that scared yet fascinated me after all why does a skull still have it’s eyeballs? I finally saw the original Evil Dead for the first time 4 years ago unfortunately. It didn’t live up to the hype for me, But I liked it and respected it. If I had saw it growing up before I would have learned of it’s legend and more in tune with the times. I have an incredible amount of respect for it. It’s one of those movies I like the more I think and talk about it. Then when I originally watched it.

It’s also a movie that like most not only is the movie cool and amazing, but hearing the stories about the making of the film are just as amazing. It’s a group of films that remind s me of how good Sam Raimi can be when left to his devices and has passion for a project.

Fefe Alvarez has talent behind the camera he is inventive though it’s hard to tell remaking a film he succeeds it making it partially his own. Yet it’s hard to judge him until seeing him direct a more original work.

I know Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi approved this so it’s not a total raping of the original. I’m just curious if a sequel is made will it go it’s own route or Remake EVIL DEAD 2?

SPOILER

I mean the film even keeps the cliché of horror films, When having a minority character Either die First. Have the most gruesome death or sacrifice themselves also live up to the stereotype. This film has 2 of those criteria met. It’s a fun yet not deep film.

SPOILER END

Not a total loss, though not a total home run either

GRADE: C+