Evolution is arguably the most essential thing to cinematic horror. For as much money as the genre makes, the ability to change things up and keep things fresh is the lifeblood of getting butts in seats. The "Evil Dead" franchise knows this arguably better than most, with the franchise evolving with each entry going all the way back to "Evil Dead 2" in 1987, now even letting new voices in horror take the reins for increasingly twisted further adventures. "Evil Dead Burn" is the latest in this methodology and this series, with director/co-writer Sébastien Vaniček ("Infested") and co-writer Florent Bernard ("Meet the Leroys," "Infested") taking a decidedly more familial approach this time around.
Alice, played by Souheila Yacoub ("Climax," "Savages"), is mourning the loss of her husband William, played by George Pullar ("Moon Rock For Monday," "North Shore"), with his family, including his mother Susan, played by Tandi Wright ("Creamerie," "800 Words"), his father Edgar, played by Erroll Shand ("Chief of War," "Crackhead"), his grandmother Polly, played by Maude Davey ("The Newsreader"), his brother Joseph, played by Hunter Doohan ("Wednesday," "Daredevil: Born Again"), and Joseph's girlfriend Thya, played by Luciane Buchanan ("Chief of War," "The Night Agent"). However, soon after arriving at their lake house, each member of the family finds themselves slowly possessed by the deadite force and turning into murderous zombie-like creatures. This means Alice must fight for her life to escape from her ex-in-laws as well as survive the night from these horrifying possessions.
Even for a series based around unrelenting zombie-like monstrosities, "Burn" is inarguably the bleakest of the series so far. Centering everything around a small family adds an unavoidable element of dread as it slowly dawns that this film will end up pitting mother, brother, and father against each other. Such intense violence is a tried-and-true trademark of the series, so that is nothing new, but such a deep dread is something else. Previous films have never been nice, but have maintained a certain amount of silliness, either play their absurdity straight like in 2023's "Evil Dead Rise" or going full Looney Tunes like in "Evil Dead 2" or "Army of Darkness." It's understandable why Vaniček and Bernard jettisoned this, as this film is the first attempt the series has had to be "about something."
There are some not-so-subtle references to parental and spousal abuse that persist throughout the film's narrative. It's an admirable attempt to add some meat to the massacre, but it's the furthest thing from subtle. The performances are in line with this idea as well: most are good, but nothing that stands out apart from the two leading ladies, Yacoub and Buchanan. Yacoub is an excellent final girl, throwing herself headfirst into the fray with a ton of energy and a thick French accent. Buchanan is a fantastically evil foil once she turns, continuing the franchise's history of turning girlfriends into demons with charisma. She lights up the screen and makes a meal of her time spent tormenting the rest of the family.
But who cares about that? Emotional nuance, while nice to have, is the last thing people come to an "Evil Dead" movie for. If the kills and gore stack up, then that's what matters. Vaniček manages to deliver some pretty gnarly material, pushing the envelope even further for what the franchise is able to get away with under the guise of an R-rating. In keeping with the rest of the film's tone, it's a meaner and bleaker kind of brutality, but it still maintains the high level of physicality the series is known for. It is odd then that, for a film based so heavily around fire and flames, things look so grey and washed out. This may very well be in keeping with the tone, but it makes things simply hard to see. Cinematographer Philip Lozano's ("Cobweb," "Presencias") camerawork maintains the same high flying frenetic nature the franchise is known for, but it simply is difficult to see most of it once things get rolling.
"Evil Dead Burn" is a fine entry in the franchise, delivering plenty of scares and gore and making an admirable attempt to push things beyond simply unleashing hell on its protagonists. The cast is fine, the gore is effective, and the camera is playful. This is, by all accounts, a fine horror film full of dreadful energy, if distractingly grey. But if you're here for the elements that make an "Evil Dead" film "Evil Dead, like the franchise's trademark tongue-in-severed-cheek sense of humor, you might find it lacking. 3.5/5
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