Evil Dead Burn – Film Review

Director – Sébastien Vanicek
Writers – Florent Bernard, Sam Raimi, Sébastien Vanicek
Stars – Souheila Yacoub, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan

We first meet Alice (Souheila Yacoub) in the middle of yet another argument with her husband. Furious, he storms out and drives away while clearly drunk. It comes as little surprise when he dies in a car crash later that night.

Despite her strained relationship with her in-laws, Alice attends the funeral. She has always felt like an outsider within the family, with her brother-in-law, Joseph (Hunter Doohan), being the only relative she has ever truly connected with. After the service, the family returns to their old house in the woods, which was once their family home. Hidden away in the attic is a collection of occult books and mysterious artefacts amassed by Joseph’s grandfather, who had a fascination with the macabre. One particular object proves especially appealing to the spirits lurking in the shadows—the Evil Dead.

The film is directed and co-written by Sébastien Vanicek. It marks only his second major feature following Infested (Vermines), released in 2023. Horror fans will also recognise several familiar names among the producers, including Sam Raimi, Lee Cronin, and Bruce Campbell.

In terms of style, this entry feels much closer to Lee Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise (2023) than to Sam Raimi’s original trilogy. Surprisingly, it is the sixth film in the franchise, which continues to show remarkable staying power. The next instalment, Evil Dead Wrath, is already in production. Set in 1972, it will serve as a prequel to the original Evil Dead and is currently scheduled for release in 2028.

If you’re a fan of the series, chances are you’ve already decided to check this one out. Its woodland setting and isolated house evoke the atmosphere of the original films, and there’s an unforgettable sequence involving a hedge trimmer that is sure to stick in the memory. The biggest difference, however, is the absence of the mischievous sense of humour that helped define Raimi’s early entries. Those films balanced outrageous gore with a knowing wink, delivering laughs alongside the scares. This new instalment takes a more straightforward approach, focusing on stylish, relentless horror. One final surprise: it even includes two post-credit scenes, proving that it’s not just Marvel that likes to reward audiences who stay until the very end.