Dead Evil!
In truth this was always going to struggle to appease many of the horror hordes, Sam Raimi's original film held up as some sort of religious artifact that should never be tempered with - this even though it was considerably trumped by the sequel (erm: remake). Is it fair to say that even before it was released there were those hating it? It certainly seemed that way.
Can you judge this piece of horror film making on its own terms? Are there a new breed of horror film fans out there whom haven't seen Raimi's trilogy and therefore can go into it and get the tar shocked out of them? I hope so because this is a rip-snorter of a remake. Full of jumps, guts, gore, and genuine moments of terror, with Fede Alvarez and his team adding some fresh touches to Raimi's original nightmare.
It is what it is, a horror remake of an old favourite that ramps up the horror and uses the tools available to splinter the ears - turn the stomach - and fray the nerves. It's illogical, daft even at times, but this is one of the better horror remakes of recent times, a real pant soiler. Bravo you undead muthas. 8/10
**A decent enough, but forgettable remake.**
Directed by Fede Alvarez, an illustrious stranger to me, the film is a remake of the original, from the 80s, directed by Sam Raimi. I didn't like the original film, I found it excessively dated, even in the effects used (which are, without exaggeration, the strong point of the film itself), but I recognize that Raimi is a creative and skillful director who knew how to explore the material well , do a lot with very little, and give us a decent film. This film, in turn, does not bring anything new or original, but manages to improve the original film's major flaw: the virtual absence of a script.
In fact, in this film, there is at least an attempt to create a story around what is happening and to make the whole story more than an excuse for the scenes where the living dead try to eat people. On the other hand, the simple fact that this film serves us with a slightly different story from the original film means we don't feel comfortable guessing what we're going to see next. There is a certain unpredictability that sounds good and feels good. On the other hand, the film cannot match its predecessor in terms of the impact of its effects and its importance to popular culture. It's a remake that has its merits, but will quickly be forgotten.
As for the cast, there is little to say. I don't know them, but I can say that I feel satisfied with their efforts. It's what you'd expect in a film of this type. A negative note about the film: if veterans considered the original film violent and full of gore, this film blows up every scale. It's a bloodbath that brings respect to Lucifer himself, and it made me mentally thank myself for having decided to see him before eating anything.