French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček's "Evil Dead Burn," the sixth film in the horror series, has been described as exceptionally brutal, fulfilling a vow by the director to make the installment the most violent yet. However, the film has been criticized for lacking the humor, artistry, and verve that characterized its predecessors.
"Evil Dead Burn" presents a relentless, overlong, and one-note viewing experience, leaning into torture-porn without the Looney Tunes approach to horror and humor found in earlier entries. The film has been noted for its extensive gore, with a convoluted introduction leading to a series of violent acts. These include graphic depictions of violence against humans and animals, such as dogs being stabbed, heads being caved in, and various implements used in brutal ways, like scissors carving into heads and corkscrews finding their way into throats. A fountain pen is jabbed through an ear, a face is melted on a radiator, and an electric knife is employed. One character shoots themselves multiple times in the face, only to later engage in a prolonged make-out session.
Unlike the 2013 reboot, which explored drug addiction, or 2023's "Evil Dead Rise," which focused on maternal anxieties, "Evil Dead Burn" reportedly attempts to delve into domestic violence, but is seen as an ineffective vehicle for the theme. The film eschews the franchise's customary chainsaw for a weed wacker and a jackhammer in the face in its finale, which has been compared to a "Terminator"-esque conclusion.
Despite the criticisms, the film features some notable set pieces. A multi-minute fight sequence within a car, involving amputated fingers, a crushed sunroof, strangulations with seat belts, and impalement by headrests, has been highlighted as a triumph. Additionally, a long, continuous shot of a character crawling to safety across an extended fight scene demonstrates moments where the film could have potentially succeeded.
The script, penned by Vaniček and Florent Bernard, attempts to connect the mayhem to the "Evil Dead" canon. It begins with a sequence where two friends on a fishing trip are attacked by a demon-possessed young woman, potentially a leftover from the previous film. References to "The Book of the Dead" and Professor Raymond Knowby, central to the original mythology, are present. The Kandarian Dagger also makes a reappearance.
The plot centers on a new widow, played by Souheila Yacoub, whose relationship with her late husband's family is strained. The family includes a volatile father, a stern matriarch, a timid son, and his girlfriend. The film's attempts at humor have been questioned, with a scene involving an elderly grandmother with dementia and a missing leg being turned into a demon cited as an example of odd humor. The script also includes details like the widow needing a Band-Aid for a pinched shoe heel, which some interpret as a darkly ironic nod to the gore to follow.
"Evil Dead Burn" is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for strong bloody horror violence and gore, and language. The film has a running time of 110 minutes. It was released by Warner Bros. Pictures.