Evil Dead Rise will hit theaters as the fifth installment of a series well-known for its dark humor and gruesome kills. However, a lot is different now that Bruce Campbell has officially retired the character of Ash Williams (although there's still some debate among fans about his fate). The newest chapter will no longer be set in a cabin in the woods. Furthermore, while the other movies have all centered around young adults, this one fully involves children: Morgan Davies’ Danny, Gabrielle Echols’ Bridget, and Nell Fisher’ Kassie. The reviews for Evil Dead Rise are out now, and the critics have weighed in on how the addition of young characters has affected the traditionally gory franchise.
Reactions from the movie’s premiere at SXSW warned that it pulls no punches in terms of blood and body horror. Let’s see what the critics have to say now that we’re closer to that April 21 theatrical release, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Evil Dead Rise. Eric Eisenberg rates the movie 4 out of 5 stars, calling it a worthy addition to what some consider the greatest horror franchise of all time. He also notes that involving kids in the story in no way softens the horrific ride director Lee Cronin takes us on and, in fact, heightens the tension. More from the review:
