Evil Dead (2013)

Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Starring: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez
Rating: I Liked It

This is the third horror movie I've seen in theaters this year, but it's only third in order, not in quality.  I found the this movie ranked well above the others I've seen, Dark Skies and Mama.  While I kind of felt like Dark Skies was somewhat scarier than this movie, overall ED still comes out on top of the pile.  On the other hand, I feel like Mama may wind up at the bottom of the list come year's end.

If you've seen the original Evil Dead, you're sure to enjoy this newest film in the series.  It stays true to the original formula, but it doesn't make you suffer through the exact same thing you've seen at least once, possibly twice, before.  I would definitely recommend the theater experience for this one.

The Good:

• The budget for this film was obviously higher than Sam Raimi's original, which was made with $90,000.  While the FX for that budget, at that time were pretty decent, comparing it to this one is crazy.  The FX in this movie were great.  Nothing looked hokey.  
• I was impressed with Levy's performance.  This was her first major film debut, and I thought she did a great job progressing through the different trials she's put through in this movie.  
• Stepping outside of the first bullet a little, it wasn't just the FX that made this movie one of the goriest I've seen in a long time.  It was the situations that had been put in place to cause the gore.  The creative mind behind some of these scenes has got to be a little demented.  
• I'm a big fan of a centalized location and a small cast, and this movie offers both.  In a time when so many major films are jumping from one location to another and stuffing as many high profile actors as possible on screen, a film that gives you more using less is always fun to watch.  
• There are definitely direct nods to the original films, and you can pick them out if you know what to watch for in the film.  From camera angles to props, you can get a real sense of what Raimi's movie was all about.  

The Bad: 

• I was really hoping to get at least a little creeped out watching this. Although it did make me squirm in my seat on several occasions, I never felt scared.  It even managed to pull off suspenseful, just not fear. 
• I kind of felt like the movie could've been a little longer.  Things progressed fast throughout the film, and I think it could've spent a little more time developing the beginning of the story and the characters.  

The Ugly

• This one survived with no uglies.