Evil Dead Rise Pays Homage To The Franchise's Most Notorious Scene, And Not In The Way You'd Expect
This post contains spoilers for "Evil Dead Rise," as well as discussions of sexual assault.
The influence that the "Evil Dead" franchise has had on horror cannot be understated. What originally started off as a low-budget, DIY film among friends turned into a cult franchise, arguably helping to position the genre as one of flexibility and ingenuity. That doesn't necessarily mean that every aspect of the franchise is worth celebrating. Even if the 1981 original was a watershed moment for independent horror filmmaking, its pivotal scene showing how Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss) is possessed after a brutal rape by tree branches has been the topic of controversy for decades. As much as the film was heralded for its practical effects and seemingly-effortless genre-bending, it was also rightfully criticized for its depiction of misogynistic sexual violence, just another horror movie that seemingly used real pain for "cheap" scares.
It should be noted that the rest of the franchise has stepped away from depicting such vile acts ("Evil Dead II" recounts a similar possession, but skips its predecessor's rape), and the franchise's latest, "Evil Dead Rise," is no exception. While this film's possession sequence might not feature brutal penetration, it does feature the ill-fated Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) being bound by elevator cables as Kandarian demons possess her. It is harrowing and violent, but effectively draws a line in a genre most accused of blurring that same line between plot development and exploitation. However, that doesn't mean it's completely erasing the original's complex history.
A fate written in cables and ink
One of the most interesting details regarding "Evil Dead Rise" is how it builds its characters through their specific interests and niches. For instance, Ellie's sister Beth (Lily Sullivan) is a punk guitar tech that enjoys chaotic environments to a certain extent, something that surprisingly has a big effect on the film's plot. Even if she isn't working on the road, Ellie herself has a pretty interesting job as a tattoo artist, even sporting a couple of cool tats herself.
A recurring theme with her tattoos, however, correlates with the rest of the series. On her hands and forearms, you are able to make out interconnected vines. Not only do they look really damn cool, but they also serve as a direct callback to the first "Evil Dead" film for reasons we probably don't have to spell out to you. Sure, they didn't necessarily have to do this — the aforementioned "Evil Dead II" served as an attempt to write the horrific vine assault out of the burgeoning franchise's canon.
That being said, for a movie centered around gendered anxieties and fears, it would have been disingenuous for it not to be mentioned. Rape and sexual assault are still fears most women and nonbinary people rightfully have, and as controversial as the original scene in "The Evil Dead" is, it's hard to deny how accurately it depicts these fears in a symbolic way. Of course, whether it needed to get as violent as it did is up for debate. At least "Evil Dead Rise" does the smart thing and acknowledges that two things can coexist: that the tree rape was essential in the franchise's notoriety, but that it's time for it to move on.