Evil Dead Rise Trailer Breakdown: The Most Beautiful Dream Becomes A Bloody Nightmare
"Evil Dead Rise." That's it ... that's the introduction.
Seriously, do I need to say more? The first trailer for the highly-anticipated return to the "Evil Dead" franchise has arrived, and it has exceeded even my wildest expectations. If you thought that writer-director Lee Cronin was exaggerating the amount of blood that would be in the film, consider yourself proven wrong. Seriously, it's a good thing everyone that follows the franchise's Twitter account voted for the release of the red-band trailer instead of the green-band one.
"Evil Dead Rise" has been a long, long time coming, and its recently-released trailer gives us so much to discuss. Was that window exploding with blood a "Shining" reference? Does this dire and bleak atmosphere feel more similar to the 1981 classic or its 2013 continuation? Is the influence of the Necronomicon really going to take over an apartment complex ala "Demons 2?" Wait, speaking of which, are those actual human teeth attached to the Necronomicon? What the hell?
Unfortunately, the answers to these questions and the thousands of other ones that will inevitably come up will have to go unanswered for a couple of months. Thankfully, this newest trailer is chock-full of details to obsess over in the meantime.
When I was just a little girl
We have known for some time that the central characters of "Evil Dead Rise" would be a pair of estranged sisters, Beth (Lily Sullivan) and Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland). The latter is a single mother of three living in a Los Angeles apartment complex, and her eldest son (Morgan Davies) finds a mysterious book in its cellar. Needless to say, futzing around with that and a creepy vinyl recording becomes a recipe for disaster. Ellie gets possessed at some point not seen in the trailer, and she's just a little bit out of it.
A case in point is the way she cooks her eggs. What kind of person just throws whole eggs onto a pan and fries them that way? Well, a person that's possessed by a Deadite spirit, that's who. Her children and estranged sister are understandably worried for Ellie, but according to her, she's just fine. Just ignore the scabbing, the yellow eyes, and the fact that she's fantasizing about cutting them all up like carcasses.
Back to the cabin
It looks like the apartment complex won't be the only major setting where "Evil Dead Rise" takes place. Throughout the trailer, we see scenes from what appears to be an updated take on the original film's cabin in the woods. This cabin looks more like a vacation AirBnB or Vrbo rental than an abandoned family property, and it appears that a family is taking some time to relax.
Unfortunately, that relaxation doesn't last forever. While it's unclear whether the family seen in the trailer is connected to Beth and Ellie, they clearly have a similar demonic possession on their hands. One vacationer looks to have gotten into a fight with another, leading to her entire scalp getting torn off. Even though it cuts away just as it happens, it is still a brutal sight made even worse by it getting casually dropped on the cabin's river dock. Don't worry, though, because you're about to see a whole lot more stomach-churning imagery in this trailer.
Crash course in motherhood
From the looks of it, Beth appears to be a bit of a loner. Not only does she not have a partner or family of her own, but it also looks like her relationship with Ellie isn't exactly the most well-maintained. We don't know the cause of this strained relationship, but it'll likely become a point of contention once Ellie gets possessed by a Deadite.
As a result of the new demon problem around the apartment, Beth looks to become a protector of Ellie's children. Unfortunately, it looks like only one of them is currently safe from the Necronomicon's grasp, and that is Ellie's youngest daughter. In order to survive the rampage, Beth must protect the young girl from whatever evils the book conjures, even holding up a signature franchise chainsaw to protect her. The bond between a woman and her niece looks to be an important one for "Evil Dead Rise," especially when the girl comments to Beth that she'd be a good mother (because she knows how to lie to kids).
Do you want cheese with that?
We've stalled long enough — there seem to be some genuinely terrifying mutilations happening in "Evil Dead Rise," and that's saying something. The franchise has always been known for its brutal kills and possessions. However, the new methods of killing these Deadites are dishing out seem to be next level.
In one shot, it appears that Ellie is about to stab one of her children in the eye with a tattoo needle. Not only is this a disturbing tool to get stabbed with, but it could also give more insight into the characters. Astute fans might have noticed that Ellie has an elaborate vine tattoo on her hand on the film's first official poster, and tattooing needles aren't exactly common household gadgets. Perhaps Ellie is a tattoo artist that brought home her tools at the worst possible time.
However, arguably the most disturbing tool of torture is something we all have in our kitchens — a cheese grater. It looks to be wielded by one of Ellie's older children after Beth throws it in self-defense. Unfortunately, the newly-possessed teen has heightened reflexes, catching the grater and slamming it down on Beth's leg. I'm squirming in my desk seat just typing this out!
Okay, let's stop here before my stomach decides to churn again. "Evil Dead Rise" will swallow your soul in theaters on April 21, 2023.