How do you make an Evil Dead movie? Outrageous demonic possession, blood boiled into ultra-violence, a dash of twisted comedy, then blend it all together with a chainsaw.
French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček was hand-picked by producer Sam Raimi to unleash the next chapter of Evil Dead. After terrifying audiences with Infested, his relentless spider-infested apartment-block nightmare, Vaniček brings that same claustrophobic horror approach to Evil Dead Burn, a follow-up to 2023’s Evil Dead Rise. Like Infested, the film keeps the terror confined to a single location, embracing the cabin-horror formula and pressure-cooker atmosphere that have always been at the heart of the franchise.
Souheila Yacoub stars as Alice, the franchise’s latest Deadite basher, bringing the perfect mix of vulnerability and physical intensity needed for an Evil Dead survivor. But let’s be honest: the Deadites are the main attraction. Watching the cast transition from their human characters into their Deadite forms is one of the biggest charms of the franchise. There’s a constant feeling of dread as you wait to see just how twisted things can get once the possession takes over.
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These are professional Deadites we’re talking about. They don’t just attack; they know exactly how to break their victims, preying on their vulnerabilities and turning their personal struggles into a twisted playground for demonic torment. Beneath all the chaos, Evil Dead Burn is also a story about family drama, using those personal connections and conflicts to make the possession feel even more brutal.
In tone, Evil Dead Burn fits perfectly alongside Evil Dead Rise. But while Rise reintroduced the lore, Burn sets it on fire. Once the madness begins, the film heats up the demonic chaos, unleashing relentless carnage that grips you all the way to the bloody end.
The setup itself isn’t anything new for the franchise and can feel a little tedious at times. There were moments where I found myself getting impatient, waiting for the mayhem to begin. But once the Deadites are unleashed, the film completely makes up for it, kicking into full chaos mode and delivering the carnage you came for.
The attention to detail in the violence and gore is a brutal showcase of craftsmanship. While it might not have the infamous 265,000 litres of blood that drenched the 2013 Evil Dead, it makes up for it with the sheer visceral damage inflicted on the human body. The punishment these characters endure is relentless, and for a Deadite, that’s saying something. Even the gross-out moments are tastefully disgusting, finding that perfect balance between making you cringe and admire the execution of the carnage. And when the film finally unleashes, it absolutely pays off. The practical effects and craftsmanship behind the bloodshed are nothing short of a chef’s kiss.
This chapter of Evil Dead is loaded with relentless action and wildly inventive camera work. Thanks to its single, contained setting, the chaos — once it does kick off — never lets up, constantly spilling from one corner of the location to the next and making the entire place feel like it’s under siege. Paired with the effective sound design, every impact hits harder, from a simple knock on a timber door to the force of something crashing through a wall, adding another layer of intensity and brutality to each moment.
The grand finale, however, does feel slightly lacklustre when compared to previous entries in the franchise. After the relentless escalation and mayhem leading up to it, Evil Dead Burn‘s final act feels like a small step back rather than the explosive payoff you’d expect.
If you’re a fan of the modern Evil Dead franchise, watching this is a no-brainer. It’s pretty much satisfaction guaranteed. But if you’re looking for a serious possession movie and you’re unfamiliar with Evil Dead, the over-the-top violence, twisted humour and chaotic energy could come across as comically silly at times. That said, this feels like it was made for the fans: the kind who know exactly what they’re signing up for and will stick around through the credits until the very end.
