Evil Dead Rise (4K UHD Review)
Director
Lee CroninRelease Date(s)
2023 (January 13, 2026)Studio(s)
New Line Cinema/Renaissance Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures (Arrow Video)- Film/Program Grade: B
- Video Grade: A+
- Audio Grade: A+
- Extras Grade: A
Review
Some horror films leave everything to your imagination, sticking the monsters in the shadows or exploring the darker nature of human beings. Others go full gonzo with over-the-top gore effects, slaughtering their way through countless victims with little to no regard for human life. Both can be compelling and entertaining, but if there’s anything that the Evil Dead franchise cannot be accused of, it’s being the former. The original Evil Dead trilogy mutated from excessive butchery and torment, to absurdist sidesplitting carnage, to ridiculous slapstick adventure with a tinge of terror. 2013’s Evil Dead remake managed to re-instate the original’s ferocity and penchant for violence while maintaining some mild character dynamics. It was so successful that eventually a sequel was produced, 2023’s Evil Dead Rise, aesthetically falling somewhere between the unrestrained madness of The Evil Dead and the blood-soaked dark humor of Evil Dead II.
Beth (Lily Sullivan) hits the road to visit her sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) after discovering that she’s pregnant. Ellie lives alone with her three kids, Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), Danny (Morgan Davies), and Kassie (Nell Fisher), in a run-down apartment building in Los Angeles. After a brief and sudden earthquake, Danny discovers a large hole in the ground in the garage that leads to a secret vault filled with strange religious artifacts, including phonograph records and an unusual book. One of the records contains a recording of a priest transcribing incantations from the book, which summons a demonic force that bursts into the building and demonically possesses Ellie. Stuck in the building after the power goes out and the stairway has caved in from the earthquake, Beth must try and survive to ward off Ellie and protect her children from the evil inside her.
What Evil Dead Rise clearly has over the previous films in the franchise is a stronger focus on its female characters, specifically through themes of motherhood and protecting their children. It doesn’t figure into the film’s plot significantly outside of Beth’s character being pregnant and being forced to take care of someone else’s kids whether she wants to or not, but it gives the story a layer that’s unlike anything seen in the previous films. This is also a franchise that doesn’t necessarily depend much on characterization, just broad strokes. This film and Evil Dead (2013) certainly aim a little higher than that, and out of it you get a series of more personalized attacks, even young people. Gene Siskel was famously opposed to putting children in direct danger in movies, especially in horror films, and he definitely would have been appalled by Evil Dead Rise.
On the other hand, that’s what gives Evil Dead Rise some teeth, but is it enough to warrant its existence? The key issues with the film lie in its dependence on occasional references to Evil Dead projects past, including an eyeball flying into someone’s mouth, and someone actually saying “Come get some.” Those moments stand out as cringe, as do some of the CGI-boosted practical effects, which tend to be obvious. However, if you can forgive many of these minor issues and buy into the performances, you might have a good time with Evil Dead Rise. It maintains its predecessor’s need for gargantuan levels of bloodletting, but presents it in a more sympathetic scenario. It’s also one of the better-looking and -sounding horror films in recent memory.
Cinematographer Dave Garbett captured Evil Dead Rise digitally in the ARRIRAW (4.5K) codec with Arri Alexa Mini LF cameras with Panavision G- and T-Series, Ultra Panatar, and Ultra Speed MKII lenses. The results were completed as a 4K Digital Intermediate and presented theatrically in the aspect ratio of 2.39:1. Arrow Video brings the film to Ultra HD for a second time straight from the 4K DI, which has been graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and encoded to a triple-layered BD-100 disc. Unlike much of modern cinematography, especially in the horror genre, the look of Evil Dead Rise offers nuanced darkness and shadow, but everything is bright enough that nothing is lost in a vague murkiness. There’s plenty of subtlety in the set design and all of it is presented expertly here, with bitrates sitting in the 70 to 100Mbps range. Textures on the interiors of the apartment building, the garage, and the cabin are crisp, with an abundance of fine detail, even in the distant backgrounds. Blacks are super deep, but never crushed, offering excellent contrast. The HDR grades definitely boost the film’s palette, which is primarily made up of overt blues and (no surprise here) reds, but there are also frequent swatches of green, brown, and purple mixed in. All in all, a gorgeous image. (Just as a side note, it’s nice to see some anamorphic stretch in a modern film, which you don’t much of these days.)
Audio is included in English Dolby Atmos (7.1 Dolby TrueHD compatible) and English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, with an optional English 2.0 Audio Descriptive Track and optional subtitles in English SDH. The Atmos track is highly explosive and immersive, surrounding us with the environment in which the film takes place, whether it’s records playing in another room, people walking by the apartment, or the open space of the underground garage. Everything is given careful attention, with clear dialogue and a sweeping score by Stephen McKeon. When the action kicks in, things get loud, giving the subwoofer a workout, and filing the overheads effectively. The 5.1 does a fine job on its own, but the Atmos track is definitely demo-worthy material.
The 4K Ultra HD release of Evil Dead Rise by Arrow Video sits in a black Amaray case with a double-sided poster and insert featuring new and original theatrical artwork by Waldemar Witt on both sides; as well as a 24-page insert booklet containing cast and crew information, the essay a New Evil Rises by Michael Gingold, presentation information, production credits, and special thanks. Everything is housed in a standard slipcover with the same new artwork by Waldemar Witt. The following extras are included on the disc, all in HD:
- Audio Commentary with Lee Cronin, Alyssa Sullivan, and Lily Sullivan
- Come Get Some with Lily Sullivan (16:22)
- Mommy Deadite with Alyssa Sutherland (17:10)
- The Deadite’s Daughter with Gabrielle Echols (15:01)
- The Levitating Dead with Anna-Maree Thomas (10:59)
- Conjuring Deadites with Luke Polti (12:59)
- Chopping Up Deadites with Bryan Shaw (14:25)
- Sonic Possessions with Peter Albrechtsen (14:20)
- Music to Swallow Your Soul with Stephen McKeon (13:43)
- The Sound of Evil Dead Rise (51:23)
- Raising a New Evil Dead (6:54)
- Ghost Train (16:16)
- Behind the Scenes (4:29)
- Theatrical Trailer (2:32)
- TV Spots (6 in all – 3:57)
- Image Galleries:
- Behind-the-Scenes (87 in all)
- Storyboards (46 in all)
The audio commentary with director Lee Cronin and actors Alyssa Sullivan and Lily Sullivan is a very upbeat and informative track. It’s clear that a familial bond was created on the set of the film, and it comes across through the interplay between these three. They’re more than game to provide information about the making of the film and their experiences with it, bouncing off each other humorously as they do. It’s an entertaining and enlightening track.
Next is a set of newly-shot interviews. Come Get Some features Lily Sullivan who discusses becoming an actor, being excited to be a part of the Evil Dead franchise, learning how to be in the moment during long shoots, being covered in blood, and seeing the final film with audiences. Mommy Deadite speaks to Alyssa Sutherland about her early acting days, being afraid of horror films at an early age, developing the deadite side of her role, dealing with the make-up, working with the cast and crew, working through COVID-19 restrictions, seeing the final film, and becoming a producer. The Deadite’s Daughter talks to actor Gabrielle Echols about starting in ballet before becoming an actor, examining her character and executing it, having issues with the make-up appliances, working with the other actors, COVID-19 disrupting filming, seeing the film for the first time, and taking home her final prosthetic appliance. The Levitating Dead speaks to actor Anna-Maree Thomas about being inspired to be in the movies when she was young after seeing Titanic, being cast in the film, dealing with safety issues on the set, tapping into her dark side for the character, how important the film was for New Zealand actors, and being excited to see the final film.
Conjuring Deadites features special make-up effects and prosthetic designer Luke Polti who talks about being inspired by Star Wars when he was young, becoming obsessed with make-up effects, planning the effects on the set and with the actors, the various effects that were achieved, using CGI as a tool, working through adversity, and seeing the film with a US audience. Chopping Up Deadites talks to editor Bryan Shaw about his film critic father, working on Evil Dead (2013) and Ash vs. Evil Dead, working with Lee Cronin and the other members of the crew, cutting together a storyboard version prior to principal photography, working remotely as an editor, properly planning sequences, becoming exhausted along the way, feeling satisfied after seeing the finished film with friends and family, different editing technologies affecting films in different ways, and continuing to work with Lee Cronin on The Mummy.
Sonic Possessions speaks to sound designer Peter Albrechtsen about becoming fascinated by sound in films early on, becoming involved with the project, working with the original sound effects from the original Evil Dead films, Lee Cronin referencing Panic Room and The Exorcist as an example of what to do with the film’s sound design, different techniques and sound effects used in the film, working with international ADR artists, spending time with Bruce Campbell listening to the sound effects and subsequently cameo-ing in the film, seeing the world premiere at SXSW 2023, and being thankful for the opportunity. Music to Swallow Your Soul talks to composer Stephen McKeon about his earliest days as a rock musician, becoming a film composer through intuition and hard work, scoring horror films, working with Lee Cronin, his various sound techniques, having to record the score during the pandemic lockdown, seeing the film with an audience, and his future projects, including The Mummy.
The Sound of Evil Dead Rise is a 2023 stage-bound interview with Lee Cronin and Peter Albrechtsen, conducted by Glenn Kiser, director of the Dolby Institute, which is an extended conversation about the film’s sound design. Raising a New Evil Dead is a promotional featurette about the film, containing interviews with Lily Sullivan, Lee Cronin, production designer Nick Bassett, Alyssa Sutherland, Gabrielle Echols, Bruce Campbell, producer Rob Tapert, Luke Polti, Morgan Davies, and Nell Fisher. Ghost Train is a 2013 short film directed by Lee Cronin. Behind the Scenes is a brief set of set footage capture by Lee Cronin with his phone. Last is the film’s trailer, six TV spots, a Behind-the-Scenes gallery containing 87 production photos, and a Storyboards gallery containing 46 storyboards.
Although this is a fairly recent film, there are a couple of things missing from other releases. The Region B Blu-ray release by Metropolitan Film in France contains introductions by Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and Lee Cronin; while the Region B Blu-ray release by StudioCanal in the UK contains a solo audio commentary with Lee Cronin. There are also additional trailers and other promotional materials floating around out there that haven’t be utilized.
Since it’s so recent, it’s difficult to tell if Evil Dead Rise will have the kind of legs that the other Evil Dead films have had, including the 2013 remake. It goes pretty hard unapologetically, which isn’t all that common for mainstream horror, and for that it’s worth your time if you’re tired of PG-13 rated, Blum “house style” horror films. Arrow Video’s 4K package for Evil Dead Rise is definitely the best one on the market, and worth picking up if you’re a fan. Highly recommended for the hardcore deadite-loving crowd.
- Tim Salmons
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