DVD Review: EVIL DEAD (2013)

  
EVIL DEAD
Written & Directed by Fede Alvarez
Distributed by Sony Pictures

  I remember a lot of skeptical people discussing the EVIL DEAD remake online when it was first announced.  The original film is such a classic, that people didn't understand why it needed to be remade and also immediately wrote it off just because they didn't agree with touching a film as good as the original EVIL DEAD.   I have to admit, I was a little skeptical too, but after watching the remake, I am happy to say that I was very impressed with this film.  Here is the basic plot of the film from the film's imdb.com page:

  Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival.

  If you haven't seen the original EVIL DEAD, stop reading this and go watch it right now!!  The original stars Bruce Campbell as the iconic character of Ash.  The film is a very gory, but full of dark humor and Bruce's own special style of slapstick.  This is even more true of the original's sequel, EVIL DEAD 2:  DEAD BY DAWN.   Bruce Campbell played this character to perfection.  So, how could you have someone step up and play this iconic character of Ash in a remake and have it compare and live up to the level of Bruce's performance?  The answer is you couldn't, and luckily the filmmakers of this remake realized this and didn't go that route.  That is what makes this remake work.

  The film uses the basic premise of the original film, but takes it in a much darker direction.  The film is more of a pure horror /terror film than the original.  They have replaced all the dark comedy with nothing but sheer terror and gore. There are some truly brutal scenes in this film, some of which are a nice nod to events that happened in the original.  The acting is very good in this film too.  Some of the actors look truly terrified during their scenes, and I'm sure they probably went through a lot in the filming of this movie.

  If you are a fan of the original film, you definitely need to check out this new version of the film.  It is a very well done remake and a nice companion piece to the original EVIL DEAD.   The DVD and Blu-ray is available now and contains the following special features:

*  Making Life Difficult - The Intense and Physically Exhausting Creation of the Film
*  Directing the Dead - Director Fede Alvarez Re-Imagines a Cult Horror Classic
*  Being Mia - The Physical and Psychological Transformation into "Evil Mia"


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray