FILM REVIEW: EVIL DEAD BURN (18) ESP RATING: 4/5

The most relentlessly savage entry in the franchise yet.

Let me save you some time.

Rather than reading this entire review to decide whether Evil Dead Burn is for you, I’ll answer that in the first few sentences.

Do you enjoy splatterpunk horror? The kind of film that dares you to keep looking at the screen even when every instinct is telling you not to? If the answer’s ‘yes’ – go and see Evil Dead Burn.

If not... you can probably skip this one.

This follow-up to 2023’s Evil Dead Rise is the latest entry in Sam Raimi’s iconic horror franchise. The story follows a grieving widow (Souheila Yacoub) who seeks comfort with her late husband’s family in their secluded home.

Unsurprisingly, the arrival of the Deadites turns what should have been a quiet reflective gathering into an absolute bloodbath. If your idea of fun involves unimaginable amounts of gore, there’s definitely an awful lot to enjoy here.

The recent Evil Dead films have really embraced the splatter side of horror, and Burn somehow raises the stakes yet again. It’s nastier, bloodier, and more relentless than anything the franchise has thrown at us before. There were multiple moments where the cinema audibly groaned, laughed nervously, or simply looked away.

Exactly as it should be.

What impressed me most was just how stylish the whole thing is. So much thought has gone into the camerawork, the inventive kills, and the film’s overall visual style. Even when it's trying to make you squirm, it’s doing so with real creativity. There’s an energy behind the direction that keeps everything feeling fresh, even after decades of Evil Dead films.

That said, it’s not without its flaws.

Personally, I’d have liked more depth to some of the characters. The film races towards the carnage so quickly that I never became quite as invested in their fate as I’d hoped. A little more character development would’ve definitely made the horror hit even harder.

I was also disappointed by the grand finale. For a franchise celebrated for its inventive practical effects, the climax leans heavily on CGI – and unfortunately, it’s not particularly convincing CGI. It feels noticeably less visceral than everything leading up to it.

So despite those flaws... why the positive score?

Because Evil Dead Burn knows exactly who it’s made for.

If you're buying a ticket to an Evil Dead film, chances are you're not looking for a nuanced character drama. You’re there to switch your brain off, brace yourself, and watch absolute carnage unfold.

And for that audience, it absolutely delivers.

It’s loud, gruesome, stylish, chaotic, occasionally funny, and completely unapologetic about what it is.

Rather than trying to reinvent the franchise – it simply brings the horror heat that fans would expect to feel.

ESP Rating: 4/5

Mike Clarke

Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough & Odeon Luxe Peterborough, Out Now

Cast: Souheila Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Erroll Shand, Maude Davey & Alyssa Sutherland

Running Time: 1 Hr 49 Mins

Director: Sebastien Vanicek

Film Review Venue: Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough

For all the latest film information & showtimes at Peterborough’s Showcase Cinema De Lux & Odeon Luxe Cinemas go to www.showcasecinemas.co.uk and www.odeon.co.uk