It’s not quite October yet, but if you’re currently putting together a list of scary movies to watch ahead of Halloween, be sure to include Evil Dead Rise, which is now streaming on Netflix. This critically acclaimed supernatural horror movie from director Lee Cronin follows sisters Beth (Lily Sullivan) and Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) as they attempt to escape a demonic force.
Evil Dead Rise is the fifth entry in the Evil Dead franchise, following Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992), as well as Fede Álvarez 2013 reboot, Evil Dead. There was also a Starz show, Ash vs. Evil Dead, that ran for 3 seasons.
While Raimi’s Evil Dead movies became increasingly humorous and over-the-top as the movies went on, Evil Dead Rise is pure horror, packed with shocking scares and bloody gore that might have you peeking through your hands as the action ramps up.
“Evil Dead Rise is not for the faint-hearted but for long-time fans and horror nuts, just sit back and let the blood wash over you,” said Time Out’s Hanna Flint. And in his AV Club review, Andy Klein posited that “Evil Dead Rise marks a welcome return to the seamless blend of humor and genuine scares and creepiness that Raimi created 42 years ago.”
If you have never seen any of the Evil Dead movies, Evil Dead Rise is a solid entry point, as its story stands alone from the other four movies. That said, if you are a fan of the series, there are plenty of fun callbacks that connect this entry to its predecessors, including a voice cameo from Bruce Campbell, reprising his role as Ash Williams.
We’ll continue to highlight some of the best horror movies on Netflix in the weeks to come.
