Evil Dead Rise

Good morning, House of Madness tenants:

One of my favourite franchises was, is, and always will be The Evil Dead. The 1983 original was brilliantly gory and over the top, with a then unknown Bruce Campbell leading the charge against flesh possessing demons. If that doesn't sound like a bad day, he and his friends are trapped  in an isolated forest in the middle of nowhere, with no escape fathomable. The only safe haven is the cabin they rented, that really should have come with a warning about reading foreign books out loud, and to probably stay out of the fruit cellar.

Then, what I consider to be the masterpiece from the legend Sam Raimi, we get Evil Dead 2. Evil Dead 2 is pretty much Evil dead 1 on steroids, with much more emphasis on humour, and it delivers the guts and gore in spades. From hands being cut off and replaced with chainsaws, to singing mounted deer heads, the action starts early and keeps coming with its foot on the pedal pressed shamelessly through the floor.

Army of Darkness takes us with Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) back into medieval times, where he is portrayed as a god once the people get a taste of his 'boom stick'. Once again, the limbs fly, the intestines fall, and the humour is amplified as Ash helps the people fight skeletons, demons, and other frights trying to drag them into the abyss of Hell.

In 2013, we were delivered a remake, or reboot if you prefer. The remake captures the essence of the original story, but it quickly entered my mind and exited the premesis not because it was bad, it wasn't, it was decent, but you can't try and deliver me Evil Dead without Bruce Campbell. Don't ever try it again. I mean it. Just stop. A cameo doesn't count either, so give me Bruce, or take the Necronomicon, and slam it on your dick (or a loved one's if you're not equipped).

Enter Ash vs Evil Dead, where we are once again reunited with everyone's favourite S-Mart employee, Ash Williams. Bruce Campbell is like Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Hollywood should put that shit on everything. The show is basically Ash Williams (with sidekicks) demolishing the demons from Hell, and leaving a business card telling them never to fucking come back. Too bad it only lasted 3 seasons, because I was ready for more. Much more.

Now we wait in anticipated hunger for Evil Dead Rise, which hits theatres in April of 2023. Instead of a cabin in the woods, it looks like our trouble making friends with demonic aspirations have discovered the city, and seem determined to wreak havoc on two estranged sisters trying to reunite. Sounds like they're in for more fun than arriving for Thanksgiving dinner, only to find out you're the turkey. Someone pass me a leg, preferably cut with a chainsaw. Groovy.

NB