EVIL DEAD BURN (2026)

As with many like-minded horror aficionados, I’ve been a huge fan of the Evil Dead series since I was a teenager. I remember seeing the first movie when I was about 13 on a grainy, pirated VHS copy because, at that time, it was still banned thanks to the UK government introducing the Video Recordings Act (nicknamed the “Video Nasty” Act) in 1984. Looking back at Sam Raimi’s 1981 debut, with the exception of the notorious tree scene, the rest of the film is relatively tame compared to today’s far more extreme offerings — one actually being its 2013 remake.

You may recall that, in director Fede Álvarez’s 2013 version, there were two particularly gruesome sequences: one where a woman hacks off her own arm with an electric meat saw, while the other standout horrific scene has the film’s possessed protagonist, Mia (Jane Levy), using a box cutter to slice into her tongue. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart. Well, after just seeing Evil Dead Burn, the newest entry in the seemingly endless, blood-soaked franchise, I can go on the record to say this, for better or worse, goes even harder on the brutality and gore. You’ve been warned!

French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček (Infested) certainly pulls no punches from the get-go with a prologue that takes place once again on the same lake that set things in motion in Evil Dead Rise (2023). Two young men are out fishing when they fall foul of a Deadite demon — with typically gruesome results — and before you can say ‘Kandar!’, the scene is set for more savagery and the taking of souls. As the lakeside location suggests, there may be some universe-sharing between this and its predecessor, but I’ll leave it to you to find out for yourself.

This latest instalment introduces its audience to four twenty-somethings: Alice (Souheila Tacoub) and her husband Will (George Pullar), Will’s brother Joseph (Hunter Doohan) and his girlfriend Thya (Luciane Buchanan). It’s Joseph’s birthday and they’re celebrating at a nightclub, where you can see immediately that things are really not going well for the married couple. Cue Will driving off in a rage and running into the Deadite that emerged from the lake — which, shall we just say, doesn’t end well for him.

Following Will’s funeral, the young group, along with parents Susan (Tandi Wright) and Edgar (Erroll Shand), and grandmother Polly (Maude Davey), head back to their old lake house for a bit of much-needed family time. Unfortunately for all concerned, Deadite mayhem quickly ensues, taking you through all manner of gruelling, gory violence.

Now, just so you know, I usually have no problem with horror films and the subsequent nastiness that is par for the course in this genre, but there were times here where I began to feel almost numb and detached from the film because the relentless viciousness was so overwhelming.

Yes, one could argue that the past two movies were also fairly extreme, but at least Evil Dead Rise featured moments of over-the-top, schlocky comedy that introduced some much-needed levity to the proceedings. None of that is on show here. There is some humour throughout, mostly at the expense of the grandmother, but the whole film’s tone, alongside its themes of family dysfunction and domestic abuse, is so mean-spirited and downbeat that what few laughs there are get lost amongst all the carnage.

Aside from these problems, the film does have its good points. For starters, the performances are all solid. New Zealand actor Erroll Shand takes what could have been a very one-dimensional part as father-turned-Deadite Edgar, and instead has you wrestling with conflicting emotions ranging from hatred to sympathy, and sheer terror. Tandi Wright’s mother, Susan, and Maude Davey’s grandma, Polly, also bring a lot of value to the film. Their relationship dynamic, and how it changes over the course of the narrative, makes for interesting viewing.

However, lead actor Souheila Yacoub (Climax) really is the star of all this bloody chaos. Her character, Alice, is put through the wringer emotionally and physically; watching her wrestle with past trauma from an abusive ex, then having to cope with his sudden death and in-laws from hell — figuratively and literally — is quite something to behold. Yacoub’s acting delivers on every level.

Of course, an Evil Dead film wouldn’t be an Evil Dead film without set-pieces and action, and this certainly doesn’t disappoint. Vaniček must be applauded for injecting moments of dizzying camerawork that will, at times, leave your jaw dropping in awe. The part of the film used for the teaser trailer is one such example. You watch as a terrified Alice makes her way through the house while absolute destruction and blood-splatter surround her at every turn; the way this is filmed is simply breathtaking. Some directors may have been happy to leave things there, but there are at least four other sequences that are equally impressive.

And this is what is most frustrating about Evil Dead Burn. While on one hand you can’t deny the technical excellence on display, the way it’s all delivered against such an oppressive atmosphere definitely leaves you with something of a nasty aftertaste that, for me, made the whole affair a bit of a slog to get through. The dark, muted colours and lighting by cinematographer Philip Lozano don’t help matters either. It also suffers from pacing issues; a film of this type shouldn’t be longer than about 90 minutes; 109 is excessive and unnecessary.

Some viewers may revel in all the prolonged bleakness and scenes of horrific bloodshed. But, for this viewer, I feel future films need to have a bit more of Raimi’s trademark comedic tone put back into the creative mix. After all, laughs and scares work brilliantly together when done well. Bloody mayhem alone is never enough. Here’s hoping the next film rediscovers that balance.

NEW ZEALAND • USA • CANADA | 2026 | 109 MINUTES | 2.39:1 | COLOUR | ENGLISH • FRENCH

Cast & Crew

director: Sébastien Vaniček.
writers: Sébastien Vaniček & Florent Bernard (based on ‘The Evil Dead’ by Sam Raimi).
starring: Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Erroll Shand & Maude Davey.