It’s been 45 years since we were first introduced to the Necronomicon and the world of the Evil Dead. That low-budget horror film, which made stars of Bruce Campbell and director Sam Raimi, kickstarted a franchise. To this point we’ve seen five feature films and even a live-action series. And yet, interest in the world continues.

Now, we get a new installment. Evil Dead Burn, the first film in the franchise since Evil Dead Rise in 2023. It’s helmed by Sebastien Vanicek, the fourth director to helm an Evil Dead film. And he brings his own take on the world.

After a cold open taking place at a lake, as the evil arises, we’re brought into the story. It focuses on a central family, who it turns out have a connection to the Necronomicon, and the people who hunted it. But that distant patriarch is no longer around, and the generations that remain mostly thought he was crazy, full of wild theories.

But when a family member dies, it provides an entry for evil. As the rest of the family—and their significant others—gather for a memorial at a remote cabin, the evil uses it as a chance to hunt for an important artifact. Can anyone survive?

The trailers and marketing for the film have been vague as to the story, so I don’t want to give too much away. Suffice to say, there is a remote location, there is evil, and there is carnage. If you’ve been a fan of the franchise, then this won’t come as a surprise. But it’s fair to say Vanicek contributes some very violent sequences to this new film.

There are touches that remind you of the history of The Evil Dead. The way the camera moves over the ground and does quick zooms, embodying the path of evil, feels like an homage to the original. But this is a vicious film. It is more over-the-top in its violence and kill sequences than Rise, which felt stylized to tell a story about more grounded characters.

While there are some solid performances from a relatively unknown cast, especially Souheila Yacoub as Alice, the weakest aspect of the film was the character development and story. This is a film that wants to be about the action, and for its whole 110-minute run time it’s devoted to that end pursuit.

There are some gnarly sequences that will likely push the limits for some, especially those who are squeamish. There are fountains of blood and copious savage sequences as this family becomes possessed and quickly unravels. Some of it is creative but a lot of it is uncomfortable. That isn’t a bad thing if its in service of building a larger world. But in the case of this film is often felt as if the plot was loosely held to string together graphic action sequences.

I was a fan of Raimi’s trilogy, but the Fede Alvarez entry in 2013 didn’t work for me. While I appreciated the creativity and storytelling in Rise, this film feels like a step back, more on par with the 2013 installment. If you’re in it for the over-the-top savagery, this will work well for you.

Evil Dead Burn is now playing nationwide.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.