Evil Dead (2013) Film Review: Brutal remake switches out camp comedy for gross-out gore

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Five friends head to a remote cabin, where a discovery of the Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods.

Drug addict Mia (Jane Levy), who is attempting to use the trip to go cold turkey, becomes the victim of a horrific demonic possession, with her brother, David (Shiloh Fernandez), forced to go to great extremes to save her soul.

Director Fede Alvarez, who most recently worked on Alien: Romulus (2024), co-wrote the screenplay with long-term collaborator Rodo Sayagues. The fourth installment in Sam Raimi's cult classic Evil Dead franchise, this modern remake takes a darker, more serious approach by ramping up the visceral horror factor and lessening the comedy.

The film was advertised with this aspect front and central, playing itself up as the 'most terrifying' movie you will ever see. For the most part, the film does genuinely live up to such bold claims and could easily hold its own against horror productions today. Grimy, dirty, and completely unflinching with its graphic content, it is easy to see why the film has gained a solid reputation amongst horror fans, and many even rank it as one of the best of the genre.

After an unfortunate encounter in a secluded forest, drug addict Mia (Levy) becomes possessed by a demonic entity, which is fixated on taking the lives of all of her friends

One of the biggest accomplishments the film has going for it is the incredible practical make-up, prosthetic, and special effects implemented to really pack a punch for the visual scares. The actual physical appearance of the possessed victims is truly bone-chilling stuff, complete with the now instantly recognisable yellow-tinged eye colour and all-around grotesque complexion, which has been replicated in Evil Dead Rise (2023).

The effects used in the film are arguably some of the best ever seen onscreen, looking completely realistic and convincing, and really hammering up the terror due to the many extreme injuries that result from being possessed by the demonic entity.

The film revels in gore and body horror, so this one is definitely not for the faint of heart, as practically every conceivable brutal situation is explored here. Weapons used throughout range from staple guns, pliers, shards of glass, to chainsaws, and one only needs to use their imagination to picture the scene, and this movie does it all.

A particularly visually striking climax even takes place outdoors in blood rain, a sequence which will cause even the most hardened viewer to squirm in their seat as we see the lengths our heroine must go to in order to free herself from this relentless curse.

Just a quick side note - if you are an animal lover, another word of warning, as there are plenty of shots of dead, rotting carcasses and a harrowing moment involving an injured dog, so do avoid if this will be too much for you! It is pretty much the full works here.

Once other characters have been exposed to the evil lurking in the cabin, some are forced to go to extreme measures to try and protect themselves...

Another admirable quality of the film, especially considering the time period it was released in during the height of the jump scare craze in horror movies, this is one of those rare exceptions where the direction is geared more towards building an atmosphere through sound and visuals. The movie has a brilliant score, composed by Roque Banos, helping to create an ominous, spooky tone even before the first frame is revealed, and a recurring piano motif maintains this off-putting, eerie feeling throughout.

Along with the practical and CGI elements, the cinematography and direction are also very effective. The aforementioned blood rain sequence is a memorable highlight with its truly nightmarish imagery; however, another stunning shot composition that comes to mind is of Mia sitting on a car bumper as the surrounding forest scenery is bathed in white sunlight. The visual symbolism of the sunshine returns in the final moments of the film, but with a warmer colour correction, signifying a sense of hope despite the tragic events that have already transpired.

Jane Levy as Mia is the clear standout performer due to the demanding mental and physical trials her character is forced to endure. It was a great choice to have this young woman already struggling with her drug addiction, and understandable that, at first, her friends did not believe her stories of an evil presence in and around the house, just assuming that these were withdrawal symptoms. Levy does a truly commendable job with her intense commitment to the role, and the pure, unadulterated horror of her possessed physical appearance is instantly iconic nowadays.

One of the main drawbacks of the film is its more formulaic narrative structure, making plot beats and character decisions quite predictable as we have seen many times in possession movies before and after this one. This can understandably turn some viewers off, as well as the heavy-handed reliance on shocking audiences with its blood and gore, which will certainly not be for everyone. The characters are all quite one-note and not given much development; however, just enough is given to the main siblings to flesh out their motivations and personalities.

A seemingly peaceful, idyllic location to get away from it all becomes a living nightmare once our protagonists discover horrifying secrets in the basement of the secluded cabin

Although there could be a few tweaks in the writing department, multi-faceted characters with plenty of depth are certainly not the highest priority of this type of film. At an easily digestible hour and a half run time, the movie does exactly what it needs to and never overstays its welcome. For horror fans, the 2013 Evil Dead ranks quite highly, and it definitely has a lot to support this reception.

Stuffed full of bold, bloody kills and convincing gore, which will provide a real treat for body horror fanatics, as well as featuring a mesmerising central performance and inspired direction, this one is for the die-hard horror fans.

Check out the trailer for Evil Dead (2013), and please let me know your thoughts in the comments!