Evil Dead (2013)★★★★☆

In contrast to the original, 2013’s Evil Dead is a movie that speaks to me. It’s a darker take than the 1981 film, it’s definitely scarier, and I like it a lot. I saw it in the theater with a bunch of friends opening week (something I almost never do), and since then it’s been one of the few several horror movies I find myself watching over and over and over again.

The movie lures you in with a powerful start and stays strong throughout. The effects are well done, the pacing is comfortable, and the cast is awesome (and should be familiar to some horror fans). Jane Levy (as Mia) was one the only one I hadn’t seen in anything else before this, and I was really impressed with her performance.

(Warning: mild spoilers ahead) I think the change from a group of college kids looking for a fun weekend in the woods to a group of college kids holing up for an intervention/rehab weekend in the woods is an interesting one, and gives the movie a little more to play with. It sets a different tone at the onset, and allows for more interesting character development.

I love how the exposition is slow at first. Both pieces of the story – the reveal about why they’re out at the cabin in the first place and the summoning of the demons – are separate but connected, and the tension builds as you start to learn more and more about each piece. For me, even knowing what would happen (well, or being pretty certain based on the original), I found myself at the edge of my seat wondering “oh man, what’s next?” more than once.

Oh yeah, and if you (like me) thought the encounter in the woods was scary in the first film, just wait until you see it in this one…now that is an unforgettable (and unbelievably creepy) scene. And if that isn’t enough to get you, keep waiting until the bathroom scene. Awesome.