The Evil Dead franchise has been one of the most revered cult favorite horror franchises by many fans ever since Sam Raimi began his career by introducing the original film that started it all in "The Evil Dead" way back in 1981. That supernatural horror flick brought the world of demons and deadites into the big screen, as well as the Necronomicon/ The Book of the Dead and the recurring protagonist who has to face it all in Ashley J. Williams as played by the legendary Bruce Campbell. Two sequels followed in "Evil Dead II" and "Army of Darkness" that centered more on action and horror camp, and in 2013 a reimagining/ remake came to life in "Evil Dead" that did away with the laughs and introduced pure terror to the masses who were expecting blood, guts, and demonic possessions. They weren't disappointed one bit.
Fast forward 10 years later to 2023, a new follow-up has arrived that aims to revive the spirit of the last film and bring more terror, gore, and horror to the big screen. That new film is "Evil Dead Rise" - which once again digs up the lore of Deadites and The Book of the Dead and unleashes it on an unsuspecting family that lives in a worn down apartment complex.
Evil Dead Rise | Only in Cinemas May 10
I got to see this highly anticipated new entry in the franchise last week, and I was absolutely blown away and driven by the plot where a young woman named Beth visits his sister Ellie in her home where she lives with her three children. Their peaceful and heart to heart reunion is cut short by a sudden earthquake that unleashes an evil long buried under the complex, and soon Ellie becomes possessed by an evil force - turning everything into a horrible nightmare that Beth and her family must endure if they are to stand any chance of surviving. It was absolutely a fresh change of pace for the franchise and something that I've only seen tackled in the "Ash Vs Evil Dead" television series, and to see it in the big screen and with all the gore, chainsaws, and mania unleashed? This is definitely Evil Dead back to form and a necessary new ingredient to keep things interesting for the series to evolve and draw new fans in!
Moving the usual setting from an isolated cabin to the urban jungle that is Los Angeles, director Lee Cronin masterfully weaves together a tale that introduces a new generation to the horrors from the world created by Sam Raimi, and it will absolutely leave you craving for more once the credits roll up. While there are no familiar faces like Ash in this story, expect some nuggets, lines of dialogue, and easter eggs from the series to appear that should please longtime fans of the series. I can't say enough about the performances and special effects too - the cast was on their A-Game, and Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland were just dynamic playing Beth and the possessed Ellie respectively. This was originally a film intended for streaming, but thankfully Warner Bros. picked it up and released it to theaters, and if you love the world of Evil Dead and horror movies in general you must go and see this for yourselves!
Check out my reactions on Evil Dead Rise below from the special screening held last April 27th by Warner Bros PH!
Rating - 4/5
Evil Dead Rise has sneak peeks up on May 1 and 2, and will open in theaters in the Philippines c/o Warner Bros. PH on May 10 - exclusively on Ayala Malls Cinemas!
Universal Pictures has had a long history with horror movies and icons - especially a certain novel by Bram Stoker that focuses on a legendary vampire from Transylvania who thirsts for blood and is served by a man who has a terrible relationship with his master. In what is definitely a very different take on the dynamic that's usually presented to audiences, director Chris McKay and comic book writer Robert Kirkman put the spotlight on the servant and how he comes to terms with that toxic relationship, and we get "Renfield" - a truly unique and hilarious horror comedy that takes master and servant to the modern world and sees the latter break out of his master's shadow and abusive nature.
Thanks to Universal Pictures Philippines and SM Cinema, I got to see a screening of "Renfield" last Monday - and sure enough it's as horrific as it is hilarious - with a very relevant exploration of how one can break free from an abusive and toxic relationship as well!
Renfield | Final Trailer (2023)
Led by the very talented duo of Nicholas Hoult and the legendary Nicolas Cage as R.M Renfield and Count Dracula respectively, "Renfield" acts as a quasi-sequel to the 1931 "Dracula" movie starring the late Bela Lugosi as the lord of vampires. In this movie, master and servant have survived through the decades by travelling the world and claiming victims - with Dracula bestowing Renfield supernatural abilities as his "familiar" and granting him immortality as well. However their relationship is far from perfect - with the co-dependecy nature of things finally taking its toll on our titular character as he seeks advice from a self-help group on how to deal with a toxic relationship.
Also starring comedians Awkwafina and Ben Schwartz, "Renfield" has a pretty solid cast of talents that will definitely fire up the theater with good ol' horror tropes and laughs while giving the titular character the spotlight to break free from his vampire master's clutches and seek redemption. Nicholas Hoult absolutely carries the movie as its lead who is timid yet learns to finally become a better version of himself, while Nic Cage sells his version of Dracula by hamming it up the best way he can. It comes full circle from his statement of "I'm a Vampire!" from Vampire's Kiss, and he delivers a great and nasty performance as the vampiric force sometimes called Nosferatu! Definitely recommended!
Horror movies are definitely something that require a brave face and courage - especially on things that involve the supernatural and have been well-documented to exist in real life. The subject of possession and those taken over by an evil spirit in particular is a constant battle the Catholic church faces, which of course requires a priest to exorcise the victim with the power of faith, prayer, and belief in God and his divine works of mercy. One particular figure who specialized in that practice is the late Father Gabriele Amorth - an Italian priest who was the Chief Exorcist Priest of the Vatican and whose files have inspired the events of the new horror film "The Pope's Exorcist".
Directed by Julius Avery and starring Academy Award winning actor Russell Crowe as Father Gabriele Amorth himself, The Pope's Exorcist is set in the late 1980's and deals with the priest's battle to save a child possessed by a demon in an abbey located in Spain. With the boy's family distraught and with only a young Spanish priest named Father Esquibel to assist him, Amorth battles the evil while also uncovering a conspiracy that the Vatican itself has hidden. With deep secrets revealed and personal battles fought, it will truly be the greatest challenge the Pope's personal exorcist will face.
Definitely not for the faint of heart but absolutely a treat for those who enjoy and fancy watching things dealing with the supernatural, The Pope's Exorcist is something that should get horror fans and those who want to learn more about possession and exorcism invested. It's a horror movie with elements of action, suspense, and comedy - things that Russell Crowe carries over very well with his charismatic and very charming portrayal of Father Gabriele Amorth. While it doesn't break new ground and follows in the footsteps of similar films like "The Exorcist" and "The Rite", this is a good film to take the uninitiated into to learn about some very real battles the church and the faithful face - showing just how important it is to believe in a the power of God and prayer in the battle against evil.
The Pope's Exorcist in now showing in cinemas courtesy of Columbia Pictures Philippines!
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