Review: Evil Dead (2013)

Evil Dead isn't a scary film. Evil Dead is a bloody, disgusting, extremely well-made crowd-pleaser that will satisfy not only the gore-junkies; but the teenager audience who sadly hasn't had enough films like this.

Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival

 Evil Dead is being touted as *THE* film to see for a pants-shittingly good time and for lots and lots of blood. While I can personally attest to the fact the film isn't exactly scary, spare a few really well done jump-scares, it gives bloody a whole new definition.

The story follows the original film's pretty well. 5 friends in a cabin, they accidentally summon demons, shit goes wild; but 2013's Evil Dead certainly does a better job of getting you into the characters who, while not Shakespearian by any stretch, do a decent enough job of getting you emotionally involved, with the key emotional core in the film is the relationship between Mia (played by a beautiful and deadly Jane Levy), a drug addict who is using their family's old cabin as the site of her cold-turkey quitting experiment, and her brother David (the sexy and sympathetic Shiloh Fernandez) and it makes it a lot easier to care for those two than Bruce Campbell and his girlfriend's awkward and loveless relationship.

But no one is going to see Evil Dead for the character-driven emotion, are they?

Fede Alvarez, Uruguayan director making his first "Big Hollywood" film honors the material,fought tooth and nail with the studio to try and make the film with as much practical effects as possible, a move whch really elevates the film to another level in terms of technical and aesthetic presentation.
The gore is chunky and red, the effects and prosthetics are on a whole other level of believability. Evil Dead is THE best looking horror film in years and will make your stomach curl at all the raw dismemberment, painful execution, and viscous mutilation.

Alvarez is also a pro behind the camera, making the film look better than most Best-Picture 'noms. The lighting and camera-work harkens back to not only classic horror; but injected with a definite "new age" style that will cement Alvarez as hot commodity in not only the horror industry; but all across the spectrum.

The film is a definite crowd-pleaser, and if you're into the whole "movie experience". The crowd I saw it with gasped and screamed, which is one of the first times I've seen a film impact it's audience that much in a while. If you have a free slot this weekend (and a strong stomach) you need to see Evil Dead because let's face it, no matter how awesome 3-D Jurassic Park is, THIS is the movie everyone will be talking about.

Review: G.I. Joe Retaliation

When GI JOE: RISE OF COBRA came out all the way back in summer 2009, after the credits rolled I thought:

"What the hell was that, because that was awesome"

To my dismay, it seems not too many people were totally satisfied with Rise of Cobra, mainly with it's handling of characters. I thought it was a big stupid mess that was quite literally a live-action cartoon come to life, and I hoped that tone would stay the same for it's sequel, Retaliation.

GI JOE: RETALIATION is hard for me to describe.

On one hand:

The action is top-notch, the costumes and cerography are spectacular, and the special effects are superb (unlike moments in Rise of Cobra where the movie looked lie a SyFy movie from 2004).

Retaliation's fresh cast of characters is wholly welcome, as well as giving returning characters new life, mainly Cobra Commander who finally gets to be the ultimate badass everyone wanted in the first film, now thankfully without Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

The movie itself plays out almost like a bunch of really rich cosplayers got together to make a fan film, from Commander's helmet and persona, to the totally fucking badass Snake Eyes v. Storm Shadow fight, to the crazy vehicles and gadgets that scream GI JOE.

The writing in Retaliation is like Shakespeare compared to the first film, and even if it's not, the actors all bring their characters and world to life fantastically, with the stand-outs being Friday Night Light's alum Adrianne Palicki as Lady Jaye, Byung Hun Lee as Storm Shadow, and Jonathan Pryce, playing Zartan playing POTUS.

Now, on the OTHER hand:

The film lacks a certain something, and I'd almost be willing to say it's the cartoonish stupidity of the first film. While I mentioned earlier this looks a big budget fan film, that's also it's problem.

The story is good; but it seems to be caught up in trying to play itself like a serious political thriller AND a ridiculous action movie. Some plot-parts seem to drag on, and that might be because for about 30 minutes Jaye, Roadblock, and Flint don't really do anything except some espionage which is never quite intense enough to work.

Character development is also almost nowhere to be found except, ironically, with Storm Shadow, which worked out very well.

Speaking of casting, RZA as Blind Master was....well, strange, and that's about the only way I can describe it.

All in all, RETALIATION, despite some pacing and tone missteps here and there, is still loud and fun to watch, with a good-looking cast, and some amazing visuals, the movie is a fun popcorn experience, while never reaching the pure child's play of the first film, this gives hope that by GI JOE 3, they'll have it nailed.