'Evil Dead Burn' Review: A Deadly Good Entry in Horror's Best Franchise

Sébastien Vaniček delivers a film worthy of its lineage.

Evil Dead is the best horror franchise of all time, and honestly, it's not even close. Few of its peers can come anywhere near the consistently high level of quality that Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell — first as director and star, respectively, and now as producers — have delivered for 45 years now. Not only has Evil Dead avoided the periodic dips in quality that have plagued fellow franchises like Scream and Halloween; each film brings something new to the table. No other series has explored this much territory, from the genre-changing original film, to the horror-comedy blend of Evil Dead II, the pivot into fantasy of Army of Darkness, and the dread-inducing return-to-basics horror of 2013's Evil Dead, a remake so good that most fans and even the film's director consider it canonical.

10 years after the 2013 film, the franchise made an official theatrical comeback with Lee Cronin's Evil Dead Rise, a tale of gory family trauma that clawed its way out of streaming-only limbo to become the highest-grossing Evil Dead movie by a mile. The film was such a success that not one but two sequels were announced: Evil Dead Burn and 2028's Evil Dead Wrath.

None of this, of course, guaranteed anything about the quality of Evil Dead Burn. Even the most immaculate horror franchises aren't immune to a stinker every once in a while (cough Scream 7 cough). Is Evil Dead Burn the one to finally crack under the pressure? Hardly. Director Sébastien Vaniček oversees a frightening, funny entry that's a worthy successor to all that came before.

What Is 'Evil Dead Burn' About?

The latest nightmare to grace the Evil Dead universe centers on Alice (Souheila Yacoub), a young French woman whose husband (George Pullar) is killed in a tragic accident. Following his death, Alice is forced to spend some time in a quaint house in the woods with her in-laws, both of whom blame her for their son's death. Unfortunately, there are bigger problems afoot than family conflict: the group is soon targeted by infamous undead demons known as Deadites, who will stop at nothing to tear everybody to shreds, both physically and psychologically.

Similarly to Evil Dead Rise, the film begins with a cold open that's mostly disconnected from the rest of the core story. One of Evil Dead Burn's few low points is this opening sequence, which features somewhat choppy editing that leaves something to be desired. Thankfully, once the perspective shifts to Alice's tale, the film picks up almost immediately and moves at a lightning-fast pace until the finish line.

Yacoub's Alice is a wonderfully compelling character, one who feels like a perfect successor to the series' previous heroes. Without giving too much away, her story isn't just about hacking demon-possessed corpses to pieces; it's rich with deep, culturally relevant thematic subtext, much like Beth (Lily Sullivan)'s allegorical tale of becoming a mother in Rise. Hunter Doohan, Lucian Buchanan, Erroll Shand, Maude Davey, and especially Tandi Wright as Alice's passive-aggressive mother-in-law round out a remarkably strong ensemble as well.

Sébastien Vaniček Proves Himself the Perfect Director for 'Evil Dead Burn'

Evil Dead Rise turned Lee Cronin into a major name in the horror world, and history seems to be repeating itself with Evil Dead Burn director Sébastien Vaniček. After the opening's minor choppy editing issues, Vaniček's film fires on all cylinders, delivering a frequently jaw-dropping horror spectacle. There are some shots and sequences that are so expertly directed, it's a shock to find out that this is only Vaniček's second feature; it feels like he somehow manifested the spirits of every great Evil Dead director before him, especially during a delightfully bonkers finale that has some of the best shots in the entire franchise, which is saying something.

While Evil Dead Burn is filled with the expected tension and genuinely scary moments, one of the more surprising elements is how funny it is. Don't expect Alice to be cracking jokes à la Ash Williams, but Vaniček expertly utilizes some great sight and sound gags that don't detract from the film's meaningful commentary on grief and abuse. The result is one of the franchise's best mixes of horror and comedy since Evil Dead II, genuinely frightening in some moments and absolutely hysterical during others.

Evil Dead Burn, like every installment before it, also makes excellent use of practical effects. From graphic kills to disturbing gore, even the most over-the-top moments feel authentic and believable because of this. That said, it does have a bit more CGI than the average Evil Dead film. While some may call that sacrilegious, it's used cleverly and sparingly enough to the point where it's largely a non-issue.

'Evil Dead Burn's Third Act Is One of the Franchise's Best

Arguably, the centerpiece of any Evil Dead movie is its third act, in which just about everything goes awry, culminating in a completely unhinged and bloody spectacle. That is very much the case here, and in a franchise where every finale has hit, this one might hit the hardest. Vaniček and the rest of the cast and crew use every tool in their arsenal to craft a finish that includes everything from a complex oner to a shot in which a broken mirror completely changes the scene's perspective. It is a breathtaking ending, and one that will delight fans of the franchise.

While Evil Dead Burn may not have a Deadite antagonist on the same level as Evil Dead Rise's Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), it is a compelling addition to a horror franchise that just keeps hitting. The characters have depth, the action, scares, and comedy are all in line with of Sam Raimi's signature style, and it has a third act that is nothing short of unforgettable. In truth, there is one word and one word only that can accurately describe Evil Dead Burn: Groovy.

Evil Dead Burn hits theaters on Friday, July 10, 2026.