Blistering carnage and savage kills make this a tough watch – but I loved it!
Picking up where 2023’s excellent Evil Dead Rise left off, Burn follows Souheila Yacoub’s Alice as she deals with the loss of her husband in the company of her less than welcoming in-laws.
Awkward family dinners – and boy, is there one here – are the least of her troubles, though, when sinister Deadites come looking for an ancient weapon.
Evil Dead Burn is mean and tough to watch amid a cacophony of mental and physical pain – and I loved it!
Anyone who isn’t a fan of Evil Dead or horror might be best to steer clear as there’s little respite from the unrelenting hell endured by the grieving group.
In only his second feature length flick behind the camera, Sébastien Vanicek does previous Evil Dead helmers like Sam Raimi and Lee Cronin proud with hyperactive camera shots, a blistering one-take sequence where all sorts of carnage erupts around Alice and savage kills and body blows.
He goes down the Final Destination route of teasing what’s to come by focusing on potential instruments of doom and his film is very appropriately named as boiling water, smoke, ash, steam and tar come into play.
Burn is largely humourless – even the main house setting is grey, foreboding and falling apart – but the antics of Maude Davey’s Grandma Polly call back to Raimi’s original Dead trilogy.
Alice really is put through the looking glass – head-first – and Yacoub overcomes shed loads of personal trauma to prove worthy of her final girl status.
Erroll Shand’s Edgar ends up looking like one of the vampires from 30 Days of Night, with his possessed body taking a real battering – and a kiss shared by him and screen wife Tandi Wright (Susan) is among the most revolting smooches committed to film.
And just when you think you can take a breath when the movie ends, up pop two crazy credits scenes – one hinting at a very exciting future for the series.
If you were turned off by the previous Evil Dead flicks, especially the newer ones, then Burn won’t convert you but this horror fan had a blast watching this family going to hell in a handbasket.
● Are you a fan of the Evil Dead franchise? If so, what is your favourite flick?
Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on your comments – and any movie or TV show recommendations you have – to your fellow readers.
● Evil Dead Burn is showing in cinemas now.
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