Just when I thought the market for zombie-esque survival horror was on lockdown between the Japanese and the Americans, every so often, someone slips in between the cracks. Sometimes, in cases like “Evil”, I’m really, really glad they did.
The Greeks, of all people, come out of nowhere with “Evil,” a movie that will remind you a whole lot of “28 Days Later,” except somehow, better done and on a lower budget. Oddly, it’s not too far off. Basically, instead of the Rage Virus being released by well-meaning environmentalists, we have a… well… for want of a better term, I’m calling it a “random cloud of evil” that emerges from a cave found in the midst of a public works project. When this random cloud of evil escapes, three city workers inhale it, and set off on their merry way to be the Typhoid Manny, Moe, and Jack to set off what basically amounts to downtown Athens being overrun by cannibals that attack humans and eat their flesh, and also reanimate the dead.
Which is a little odd–are these zombies? That would’ve had to mean the original three died suddenly before reanimating and attacking others. They sure didn’t look like they were dying… ah well.
“Evil” is good stuff, there’s no two ways about it. For those of you who are thinking: “Cool! I loved “28 Days Later”!” you’re going to find a lot to like here. Even down to the characters, including a cabbie, a young (fourteen year old) girl, and a couple of couples. Just a couple more people than “28 Days Later”, but everyone who was in attendance there will have a counterpart in “Evil”.
And for those of you who are thinking “28 Days Later was a total suckfest. Why would I want to watch anything like that?”–don’t despair. There’s lots of good for you in “Evil” too. “Evil” ramps up the action in a way “28 Days Later” never did. Look for decapitations, eye gougings, kung-fu goodness, gunshots, knifings, cleavings, and assorted other forms of assault with intent to do grotesque bodily injury to show up. In fact, watch around the middle for the restaurant scene. That is going to be the wildest, over-the-top action you’ve seen in some time. It’ll put you in mind of “Dead Alive”, and frankly, anything that does that is good in my book.
“Evil” is a fantastic movie. Either you’re going to love it because it’s a lot like a movie you already loved, or because it makes some serious improvements to a movie you didn’t like. And either way, it still adds up to good movie.
