Evil Dead

A demonically-possessed girl is restrained in a basement. Her father then sets her on fire, and shoots her dead. Prepare yourself for a scare as the tone is set for this reboot of Sam Raimi's cult classic. Director Fede Alvarez was hand-picked by Raimi to deliver a new generation of gruesome violence, and he certainly hasn't failed.

The film follows Mia (Jane Levy), a drug addict who decides to go to the ever eerie cabin in the woods with her brother (Shiloh Fernandez), his girlfriend (Elizabeth Blackmore) and pals Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Olivia (Jessica Lucas) to face her demons (literally!) and kick the habit. The tragedy begins rapidly in the rotting cellar as they discover the Book of the Dead, and release the evil within it, setting off an unforgettably violent chain of events.

The beauty of Alvarez' technique is to stick to tried and tested rules: steer clear of C.G.I. and stick to in-camera special effects for some convincing, gut-wrenching carnage. This film certainly is not for the faint hearted, the violence occasionally reaches such imaginative and ridiculous levels it becomes comic, paying homage to Raimi's distinctive style and sense of humour. Despite this, Alvarez manages to pull through with his more serious vision of the horror; his murderous reboot has a darker, more sinister tone than the original.

Evil Dead is a grisly creepfest that pleasingly polishes Raimi's original hit, whilst letting Alvarez' own individual flair bleed through. Expect to see something blisteringly moreish - pick up your chainsaws and beware of books. For the gore-lovers amongst you, Evil Dead will fully satisfy any craving and even induce fear in the bravest.

Phoebe Stewart