Evil Dead Burn (2026) Review: The Bloodiest Chapter Yet + Necronomicon Explained

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source: tv.lk21

Synopsis:

Evil Dead Burn (2026) is a horror film directed by Sébastien Vaniček. Produced by Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi, and distributed by Warner Bros Pictures, the film has a runtime of 1 hour 50 minutes / 110 minutes and was released on July 7, 2026 / July 10, 2026 in the US. The film is rated 18+ / R for extreme violence, gore, and language. The film received a rating of 80% "Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes from 50 reviews.

The story focuses on Alice, a widow who has just lost her husband William in a car accident (which was apparently caused by a Deadite). To find peace, Alice joins her in-laws at their remote family home in the countryside. During the funeral, the Deadites (The Demon) arrive. One by one, the family members become possessed and transform into demons. Why did this demonic entity come? Because the Price family actually has a direct connection to Raymond Knowby and the Necronomicon from the original Evil Dead film, and they also keep a family heirloom weapon: the Kandarian dagger. The main setting is a remote cabin in the woods, just like in the classic Evil Dead film. Everyday household items become deadly weapons: a dishwasher, a car headrest, a fountain pen, and even a candle holder. The theme of this film is truly "family reunion from hell." One by one, the family members are possessed by Deadites, and Alice must survive while facing literal demons and the domestic trauma from her abusive marriage.

Overall, critics say this is the most savage and brutal chapter in the franchise. They praise it for having the most extreme gore, calling it "the bloodiest Evil Dead yet" and "the goriest and bloodiest Evil Dead film to date." Some people even "audibly gagged" in the theater. The film brings in a new director, Sébastien Vaniček, who brings a "French sensibility" and exciting editing with brutal and creative set pieces. This Evil Dead comes with a twist to the formula. The Deadites have a new purpose beyond "devouring souls" and there is a direct link to Sam Raimi's trilogy.

However, as usual, no film is without flaws. The film is considered too focused on gore, with some saying the screenplay suffers because it focuses more on blood than on horror. Some call it "mindless carnage." Unlike previous Evil Dead films, this time there is "nothing light, or funny." The film was intentionally made darker and more serious than Evil Dead Rise, sacrificing the "slapstick" comedic elements. Some felt the film's ending "fell a bit flat" and "unravels by its clumsy final showdown."

This film stars: Souheila Yacoub, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Tandi Wright, Erroll Shand and more.

In my opinion:

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I knew it! This will definitely be a horror film that makes you cringe. I watched Evil Dead Rise, which really made my hair stand on end. There are probably many other films with sadistic execution like Terrifier, SAW, Thanksgiving, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and many more that you can name. But Evil Dead? This film is a horror film on a completely different level. While other gore and sadistic films present bloody, inhumane visuals, Evil Dead delivers acts of brutality that feel so natural, as if the brutal scenes in it are real events. I still remember the opening scene of this film where it executes its victim in a boiling lake. The victim managed to survive, but as the demon walked toward him, it accidentally (or maybe on purpose) stepped on his hand. Instantly, the burned skin "slid off" from the flesh. That’s a common thing, right? But it felt so natural and unexpected.

The story this time is also unique, because the cruelty of the Necronomicon, or the Book of the Dead, comes with a weapon that can counter it and send it back to its realm. The story is tightly structured and doesn’t go off in too many directions, so I was able to understand it while also enjoying every brutal scene. The hallmark of Evil Dead is still there, from its brutality to the method of the demon’s "virus" spreading. Even just with saliva, the "virus" can infect and turn its victim into a demon. Anything can be used as a weapon to survive. Broken glass, a pen, a wine opener, a pocket knife — Alice tries to grab anything she can to get rid of the demon.

With the discovery of that weapon, does Evil Dead end here? Oh, definitely not. Minor spoiler: there are 2 post-credit scenes at the end of the film. I’m giving one last warning if you haven’t watched it, because this contains spoilers for the next Evil Dead film. The first scene shows that the demon from Evil Dead Burn has not been completely destroyed, because there is 1 member of the Price family who hasn’t been killed. Then the second scene is the return of "Mommy." Yep, Ellie Bixler from Evil Dead Rise is alive again. Can you imagine the horror of the next Evil Dead?

As a horror film lover, I highly praise the visualization in this film. Because like I said, the sadistic and brutal scenes in this film feel so natural and real. Supported by excellent audio and cinematography, Evil Dead Burn becomes the best brutal horror film for me this year. For horror fans with strong stomachs, this is a must-watch. But if you get nauseous easily from gore, be prepared — I highly do NOT recommend watching this while eating.

For me this one is 8.5/10.

Knowledge Center:

   Open it, and you don’t just read words... you invite them

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Necronomicon. Is this cursed book real or just fiction? The short answer is FICTION. But it is one of the most "successful" fictions in history. To the point where many people actually believe it’s real.

The origin of this book comes from a horror novelist. The Necronomicon first appeared in the horror stories of American writer H.P. Lovecraft in the 1920s. The Necronomicon even has the following details:

• Full fictional name: Al Azif.
• Fictional author: "Abdul Alhazred the Mad Arab" from Yemen, 8th century.
• Contents: Spells to summon ancient gods, rituals, and forbidden knowledge about "The Great Old Ones" like Cthulhu.
• Fictional location of the book: Kept in the forbidden library at Miskatonic University.

Lovecraft himself often said in his letters: "I made it up." He intentionally created this book to make his world feel more real.

Why do so many people think this book is real? This is the craziest part.

• The writing style is too detailed - Lovecraft wrote as if the book actually existed. He mentioned translators, publishers, and libraries that "keep" the book.
• Many other writers used it too - Lovecraft's fellow writers also mentioned the Necronomicon in their stories. Over time it became a "shared mythology."
• Some people actually published it - In 1977, there were 2 versions of the "Necronomicon" actually sold in bookstores. One was the "Simon Necronomicon" which contained Sumerian spells. The other was a fake translation. Neither was written by Lovecraft, but people still bought them.
• It was used in films - Evil Dead made the Necronomicon into the "Book of the Dead" made of human skin + a blood key. From there its fame exploded.

There are many myths about the Necronomicon spreading around the world. Among them: that the book was written in the 700s by an Arab, that the book is banned in all libraries, that reading it can summon demons (even though reading it just gives you a headache because the language is complicated), that there is an original version in the British Library, and many more. Although it’s just fiction, why is the Necronomicon still popular? Because it represents one thing: our fear of forbidden knowledge. The idea of "there’s a book that if you open it the world could end" is very convincing.

That’s why Sam Raimi used it in Evil Dead, and now Evil Dead Burn uses it again through the Price family. So the Necronomicon is 100% fiction. But its power is real, because this book has influenced horror, games, film, and even pop culture for almost 100 years.

"The Necronomicon is not real. But the fear of things we do not understand? That is very real."