Evil Dead Burn Is the Most Gruesome Entry Into the Franchise Yet, but It Misfires on Other Essential Elements in Evil Dead's Spellbook

Evil Dead Burn opens in theaters July 10. For as straightforward a conceit as the Evil Dead franchise has traded on for over 40 years – read from the cursed book, awaken the vengeful Deadites – it’s always been something of a magic trick to watch how far each movie can push that conceit while still remaining true to the creative spirit of Sam Raimi’s 1981 original. Raimi’s sequels set some very loose boundaries in that regard, but Fede Alvarez and Lee Cronin’s later takes each found varying degrees of success adapting the story into a more modern cinematic context. By comparison, Evil Dead Burn, helmed by French director Sébastien Vaniček, doesn’t meaningfully add much to the conversation. An extended prologue sets Evil Dead Burn squarely in the aftermath of the events of Rise, as a couple of unlucky fishermen find out what happens to those who indulge in outdoor recreation while Deadites are on the prowl. Burn quickly catches up with a new set of characters, led by Alice (Souhelia Racoub), a French ex-pat grappling with the recent death of her abusive husband Will Price (George Pullar) and a set of in-laws who are struggling to find a way forward through all that with Alice. Once