Cinepals Call Evil Dead Burn (2026) One Of The Best Evil Dead Movies Yet

Michael Foose, Ali Reagan and Achara Kirk sat down for a first time watch of Evil Dead Burn, and by the end all three were calling it one of the strongest entries in the franchise. As the credits rolled, the verdict was "This is really good," along with "I like this one a lot. A lot. I think this one's one of my favorites."

This one matters to Evil Dead fans because the reaction frames the new film as a direct sequel picking up right where Evil Dead Rise left off, continuing the Necronomicon lore, the dagger mythology and the deadite rules that longtime viewers have followed across the rebooted films.

The Hosts Say Evil Dead Burn Outpaces Evil Dead Rise In Scares And Stakes

A big part of the praise centered on how this film compares to its predecessor. The reactors felt Evil Dead Rise had "sort of that family vibe" but "felt a little ponderous in its pacing," with monsters that "weren't quite as scary" despite high stakes. Evil Dead Burn, by contrast, was described as finding "the weight again" and delivering scares and dread the group felt the previous film hadn't fully landed. Summing up the leap between the two: "Evil Dead Rise walked so Evil Dead Burn could run." Rise was constrained largely to a single apartment building on a smaller budget, while Burn clearly had the resources, story and directing team to "swing for the fences."

Tyler And Dad's Possessed Performances Get Singled Out As Standouts

The group specifically called out the actress playing Tyler Buchanan for a "transformative performance when she became possessed," going from sweet and helpful to a seductive, terrifying deadite. The father character's transformation was also praised, though the hosts noted his descent felt like less of a shift since he was already written as an unsettling, angry presence from his first scene at the construction yard.

The Corkscrew Kill And Practical Gore Impress The Reactors

Practical effects came up repeatedly as a highlight, with the group crediting the film for leaning into what Evil Dead is known for. The corkscrew moment drew a strong reaction: "It was horrible. It was visceral," with the close up, meaty practical work making the kill land. They also noted the deadite designs differ from Evil Dead Rise and the earlier reboot because each film has used a different cursed book, meaning different rules for defeating the demons each time.

A Savage Ending Involving The Family Dog And A Post Credits Kill

The reactors were struck by how dark the film gets by its finish, joking that they had to watch the family dog die three separate times before a post credits scene showed a child being killed as well. Reacting to the closing stretch, the verdict was "This movie is savage."

Alice's Arc And The Family Trauma Layer Resonate With The Group

Beyond the horror, the hosts appreciated that this entry gave its characters real flaws and baggage, contrasting it with the uniformly likable cast of Evil Dead Rise. They highlighted the moment when Alice confronts her demon husband and he tells her he loves her, and she replies that it is not enough, calling it "a very beautiful moment" that avoided an easy forgiveness ending. The group closed out excited for where the franchise goes next, noting another Evil Dead film is already in production and that the book of research shown in this film raises the question of whether it becomes its own book of the dead going forward.

Do you think Evil Dead Burn tops Evil Dead Rise, or does the original 2013 reboot still stand as the best modern entry?