The fifth installment of the “Evil Dead” franchise has officially been released and is making storms through theaters. With a decent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the new film seems to be following the popularity of its predecessors, but how does the movie fare compared to the ones that came before it?

The first “Evil Dead” film came out in 1981 and has become a horror hit ever since. With fans everywhere, this low-budget film became insanely popular. The first three gifted us with Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, but the last two the director and actor have stepped away from the spotlight, while still being involved. The recent film was directed by an Irish filmmaker named Lee Cronin, and produced by Raimi and Campbell.

Although I may be a bit biased since I watched this movie in an empty theater, the newest installment of this franchise was the scariest to me compared to the earlier ones. Although it kept the same dark humor as the original, it also felt more brutal at times. “Evil Dead Rise” doesn’t try too hard to copy the films that came before it. It accepts being its own thing, but still keeps what made the original films so loved. 

Alyssa Sutherland is one of the best actors in the film. As the leading role of an evil deadite, she kills it (literally.) Sutherland’s portrayal might be one of my favorite deadite performances in the franchise yet. Her physicality is brilliant, and she’s downright terrifying. 

Overall, Cronin’s new take on the original films is a hit, albeit a little disappointing to not see Bruce Campbell. Be warned seeing the movie in an empty theater adds another layer of terror.