Quite simply: Evil Dead Burn absolutely slaps. From the very first frame, Sébastien Vaniček’s entry into one of horror’s most beloved franchises locked me in and never loosened its grip. It’s relentless, darkly comedic, and I loved every second of it.
A Franchise That Refuses to Miss
The Evil Dead franchise is in the middle of one of the most impressive runs in horror. Sam Raimi built an insane foundation and then passed the torch to the likes of Fede Álvarez for a gnarly 2013 reboot, then to Lee Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise in 2023. Now the keys belong to Vaniček, the French filmmaker behind Infested, who was tasked with continuing to get creative with this franchise. Every director who steps into this sandbox brings their own flavor, and that’s exactly what makes Evil Dead special. It’s a relay race where every runner sprints.
Burn follows Alice (Souheila Yacoub), a widow who shelters with her late husband’s family after his funeral, only for the gathering to spiral into pure Deadite chaos. The premise keeps the franchise’s core DNA intact: ordinary people confined to an isolated location that turns nightmarish with escalating carnage. While the premise is familiar, it’s Vaniček creative filmmaking that gives it new territory to burn through.
I think a large part of the cast is great, with the huge standouts being Luciane Buchanan as Thya, the girlfriend of the youngest son Joseph, who has a lot of fun playing a deadite version of the character. Errol Shand is impressive as family patriarch Edgar. When he goes full deadite, he commits to the role and has a presence that demands your attention.
One complaint about the movie was that the story and characters were a bit simplistic. I think the visual style does more to engage the audience than the characters themselves.
Vaniček Leaves His Mark
What impressed me most is that Vaniček delivers an Evil Dead movie that honors what came before while still feeling visually distinct. The young director (who also co-wrote the film) finds the sweet spot, incorporating the chaos, the carnage, and the horror that fans expect, but the way he stages certain shots and sequences gives the film its own identity. You can feel a filmmaker with a unique vision for what they want steering this ship. There is a sense of confidence in the direction, and I love that this series has become a baton pass to different creative voices to showcase their visions.
Anyone who saw Infested knew this guy could build dread and unleash mayhem. Burn confirms he can do it on a bigger stage without losing the edge that got him the job. One thing I do appreciate is that Burn was able to bring humor back to the Evil Dead Franchise. While the past two installments focused solely on the horror, this entry injects some hilarious situational comedy that gives it a unique tone. Army of Darkness is funny due in large part to the comedic chops of the legend Bruce Campbell; Evil Dead Burn is funny due to great comedic editing and direction.
The Craft Is the Star
The editing in this movie is fantastic. Editor Maxime Caro cuts Burn with sharp, fast cuts, perfectly timed moments, and a tempo that makes the whole film feel alive, like the movie itself is possessed. Pacing is where a lot of modern horror stumbles, and Burn never does. The film just moves with a kinetic pacing that keeps you fully engaged with little time to breath.
The stunt work is also incredibly impressive, especially during some of the film’s wild oners. There is one sequence in particular that has the camera following our lead while there is a ton of fighting and action happening all around. The coordination and commitment to stunt work make these moments hit that much harder. Modern horror action gets chopped to pieces in the edit these days, which makes watching Burn commit to sustained, practical chaos genuinely thrilling.
The gore, of course, delivers. This is an Evil Dead movie, and it earns the name. It’s nasty in the best possible way: creative, gnarly, and staged with the showmanship this franchise has always understood. There are some truly vicious moments that had me turning my head in unease, but that is par for the course for an Evil Dead movie.
The Verdict
Evil Dead Burn is an immensely enjoyable horror ride and a worthy new entry in one of horror’s most beloved franchises. It’s relentless, it’s blood-soaked, and it had me locked in from the first frame to the last.
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