The absuse storyline is certainly nothing very original or particularly interesting, but I also felt that way about 2013’s addiction/recovery theme and Rise’s motherhood theme. That’s just not really what I’m going to an Evil Dead movie for I guess
I have to agree. I'm not a huge Evil Dead head like some, so that may have had some effect, but aside from this just being nasty and gnarly, I couldn't find much to latch onto. That being said, if you want grotesqueness and gore, you'll probably be happy.
Yeah, sad to say that I found this very much just okay. About as 6/10 as it gets. I fear the increased frequency for this franchise will lead to diminishing returns with the formula. It delivers and then some on the penchant for genuinely gross-out gore and all-out bleakness; there is plenty here that's going to make you tense up, especially with how long some of these shots linger. The cool thing about the new model is that all these different directors infuse their own style into Evil Dead, and New French Extremity is definitely on the menu for Vaniček. But there are a good number of issues that drag this down. None of these movies are known for their emotional beats, but this just leaned into far more than was necessary, which could be okay if you felt it. I personally didn't. The last set piece is an absolute dud, especially compared to "oh fuck yeah" dunks of 2013 or Rise. Truly disappointing stuff in that sense. All that said I'll still be in a theater seat for the next one.
Let me preface this by saying I love Evil Dead (2013) and Evil Dead Rise. I enjoyed Infested. What the fuck was this? Knew I was in trouble from the start. Awful writing, acting (for the most part) editing, music, etc.. Hated the way it looked and was shot. No rhythm was ever established. Wasn’t invested in any characters or dynamic. Nothing felt earned. Felt like going through a video game to get to random gore instruments. Did not care about and was not invested in anything and felt nothing. Truly cannot believe this is what the film was after the trailers. Felt like amateur hour. One of my biggest disappointments ever.
It took way too long to get to what should be the focal point of these movies; a central location with a small tight-knit group of friends/family. It should be “simple” for lack of a better term. Everything felt convoluted, incl the interpersonal web. Did not care for how the deadbites connected to start the film. Those two guys fishing were irrelevant. Also, these don’t need lore explained and McGuffins. Fuck your grandpa and fuck your dagger. Let some ignorant fools come across a Necronomicon, read it, and get rollin’. And man, yeah, casting was mostly abysmal.
I really don’t feel like it took that long, and we got multiple deaths before we got there, unlike Rise which takes ages to get going (and is also like, way more convoluted? There’s an earthquake and they have to go underground to find the book?). And the two guys fishing, as irrelevant as they may be, directly concludes an unresolved and arguably even more irrelevant opening scene from the previous entry.
The earthquake is my biggest issue with EDR actually so I totally get that. The family dynamics felt way more simple and real and genuine, though. And I love how the book and records were incorporated. Maybe there’s a better more cohesive film in here, but all I know is something felt off from the start and the main things that immediately stood out were writing/dialogue, acting, and editing, which it never corrected or recovered from. Visually bland from top to bottom, aside from a couple of camera tricks, is going to take me out even more. Also, I’m in the jump scares are tired and not a fan crowd, but occasionally they work and can be effective. The ones in here didn’t even make me blink.
The thing is, and I understand this appeals to the sickos whose yum I am not trying to yuck, this thing is ugly from start to finish. We start with the lake kill, immediately go to the party where the husband is already being asshole to the main character, he dies and then it’s the whole family who hates each other, which leads to dog kill. Besides the smash cut to the close-up of someone twerking at the party, there’s no levity in this or much goofiness (the head falling from the chimney after it gets sliced off did feel like some classic Evil Dead stuff). Everything for these characters sucks, no one is appealing, the movie looks like shit and then people get thrown into stuff and dismembered until Vecna Jr. shows up. Like, for all its faults, at least EDR had some fun to it. It just feels like the writer-director was mad that EDR wasn’t mean enough.
Now that is something I can behind, though I think it’s been that way for a while. But yeah when the thing with the mom happens and I can’t tell whether or not she’s… turned? Turning? Going to turn at any point? That’s a problem
The thing about levity is interesting because that’s exactly how I felt about 2013 the first time - incredibly bleak. Limited saturation (until the very red finale). Humorless deadites twitching about with zero expression save for Mia who is mostly just cruel. It took a couple of years and a second viewing for me to come around on nearly any part of it that wasn’t in the last like 20 minutes
This was fun but probably my least favorite of the modern entries. Some cool camera work and practical effects, but I didn't like the CGI stuff at the end. Wish they would've done that practically because it looked goofy here.
Well this was certainly an experience lol, feel overall positive but not perfect, and not my favorite of the 3. But I really enjoyed the swings it took, and the deadites were fun here. The humor landed for my tastes, even if it was jilted. however, more than the theme of abuse (which felt like the director checking a box more than anything), it felt like the director was really more interested in being antagonistic towards a western audience, from the way it was paced, some of the arthouse moments (the makeout scene comes to mind), the music, etc. it worked for me, but can understand how it’s divisive
having not seen this yet, it's odd that the early takes emphasized the humor but most reports now seem to say this is mostly on the grimdark side. the middling takes here have forced me to relegate this to a cheapo tuesday screening. can only benefit from lowered expectations anyway
I think most of the criticisms in here are valid but I was simply vibing with it. Some incredible shots, some bad ones, some absolutely sicko scenes (the French kissing in particular) but I think this was a totally suitable entry in the franchise. I was giggling, cringing, and gasping plenty.
Posting before catching up in here because I know other folks are not feeling it as much, but man...I kind of fucking loved this. Like - I thought it could be my second favorite in the franchise until the CG ex-husband showed up at the end. Loved how stylish and mean this was, thought it was tense and gross and also shockingly funny despite everything I'd read beforehand? Less fan service-y than Rise, too (which I also love). Felt fresh. I was so strapped in that I kind of stopped caring about rules at a certain point and just took the ride. I knew what I was in for the moment dude's skin sloughed off at the beginning, lol. Lake-boiling scene was SO metal.
The make out scene was incredible and some real freak shit lol. I also liked the family dynamic and thought the abuse framework worked here specifically because of how menacing the father also was. You didn't root for the final girl?? The grandmother character's entire thing is levity! Agreed. 2013 feels like it's had some re-evaluation as a whole in the past five years or so (it's my second favorite after the original) and I left theaters kind of feeling like this might be destined for the same thing. It's an oddball entry that seems like fans aren't getting what they wanted upfront, but I could see it warming up to folks later on.
I really enjoyed this but the screening I was at got some laughs.. it wasn't because of the film it's because so someone was actually snoring really loud and everyone can hear it during the quiet moments of the film!