Movies
Dark Sky Skates On Thin Ice With ‘Hypothermia’ This October
A family returns to their favorite winter getaway for some peaceful ice fishing little suspecting that they are about to become bait for a hideous underwater creature in Hypothermia, a bloody and bone-chilling shocker coming to DVD from genre specialists Dark Sky Films on October 2, 2012.
“Ray Pelletier (Michael Rooker; “The Walking Dead,” Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Slither) is looking forward to a quiet weekend of ice fishing with his family at the same peaceful lake they’ve been visiting for years. Unfortunately for the Pelletiers, the obnoxious big-city father-son duo of Steve and Stevie Cote has picked the same weekend to spend at the remote frozen spot.
The fishermen quickly notice that the fish below the thick ice aren’t biting, and Ray thinks the Cotes’ state-of-the-art gear, including a loud ice drill, has scared them all away. But the two families’ petty squabbles are soon eclipsed by a much greater enemy: Something unnatural and ferocious is under the ice and its prey is human. Miles from civilization and with only a few inches separating them from the freezing water below, the Pelletiers and the Cotes must find a way to work together to fight the vicious creature that’s out to hunt them.”
Directed by James Felix McKenney (Automatons, Canniballistic, Satan Hates You) and produced by the creators of new cult classics The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers and Stake Land, Hypothermia is as taut as a fishing line snagged by a barracuda. This modern spin on the classic monster movie features memorable performances from horror vet Rooker and co-stars Blanche Baker (Sixteen Candles, The Girl Next Door) and Greg Finley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager).
Just three years after Evil Dead Rise set the box office on fire with a $147 million worldwide haul, Evil Dead Burn was unleashed into theaters this past weekend. Unfortunately, the opening weekend for Evil Dead Burn wasn’t quite as strong as the debut for its predecessor.
Evil Dead Burn debuted in 3,004 theaters across North America and scared up $13.7 million in its domestic debut, about $10 million less than Evil Dead Rise‘s $24.5 million opening.
Worldwide, Evil Dead Burn debuted with $25 million. Given the film’s production budget was somewhere in the ballpark of $20 million, all is certainly not lost for Evil Dead Burn. That said, Warner Bros. and New Line no doubt hoped that Burn would top or at least match the domestic opening of Rise, but instead we’re looking at a case of diminishing franchise returns.
The good news for fans? Next installment Evil Dead Wrath has already wrapped production for expected release in 2028, so there’s no danger of the franchise ending with Evil Dead Burn.
Evil Dead Wrath from director Francis Galluppi (The Last Stop in Yuma County) is currently set for theatrical release on April 7, 2028, though that could change in the coming months.
Will the Evil Dead franchise be taking a break after Evil Dead Wrath? That all depends on how Wrath performs at the box office. But for what it’s worth, the post-credits scene at the end of Evil Dead Burn suggests that the franchise’s creators are hopeful for a bright future ahead.
The critical reception for Evil Dead Burn was a bit less positive than the reception to Evil Dead Rise, with Rise hitting 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and Burn currently sitting at 71%. It’s interesting to note, however, that the “Popcornmeter” on Rotten Tomatoes is a bit higher for Burn than it was for Rise, with Burn‘s currently at 80% and Rise‘s sitting a tad lower at 76%.
The site’s “Popcornmeter” scores are decided by users, rather than verified movie critics.
Which do you prefer? Evil Dead Rise or Evil Dead Burn? Sound off below.
You must be logged in to post a comment.