The Reel Review
A woman mourning the tragic death of her emotionally and physically abusive husband with his distraught, dysfunctional family discovers a summoned demon intent on destroying them all. Souheila Yacoub (Dune: Part Two, Climax) Hunter Doohan (Wednesday) and Luciane Buchanan (The Night Agent) star in this sixth entry in the Evil Dead horror franchise.
Even from its opening scene, Evil Dead Burn is one relentlessly brutal, violent and gruesome thrill ride, super intense even for gore aficionados. We quickly learn that these bleakest, most awkwardly miserable family members in cinematic history are the descendants of an ancient history expert who studied the demon prior to his death. An unsettling score and clever camerawork heighten the terror from the possessed, undead deadites.
The incessant, torture porn violence crosses over into sheer ridiculousness halfway into the movie, its silliness further heightened by the distracting comic relief from the family’s wheelchair-ridden, demented granny (a still impressive Maude Davey). That said, final girl Yacoub gives a committed, riveting performance as the story explores the toxic traits of families whose men abuse their wives and the trauma that lingers for their victims. For what it is, Evil Dead Burn is well done.
REEL FACTS
• Evil Dead creator Sam Raimi selected Sébastien Vanicek as director after being impressed with his work on the 2023 horror Infested.
• Prior to becoming an actress, Souheila Yacoub competed for Switzerland in the 2009 and 2010 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.
• The is both a mid-credit and final closing credits scene that ties in with 2023’s Evil Dead Rise.
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