Evil Dead Rise, The Covenant

Pairing Lee Cronin's sardonic exploration of "motherhood," Evil Dead Rise," with Guy Ritchie's earnest depiction of the purity of human kindness, "The Covenant," makes for a heady afternoon committed to distinct visions of devotedness.

"Rise" is the fifth in the "Evil Dead" franchise, which began with Sam Rami's classic film in 1981. After a thoroughly bloody and hair-raising prologue, the latest episode dives into the story of newly pregnant, hipster guitar tech Beth (Aussie indie actress Lily Sullivan) popping in on her estranged sister, hipster uber-mom Ellie (Aussie fashion model Alyssa Sutherland) and Ellie's three kids in their ratty California apartment.

An earthquake shakes up things in the building and uncovers some ancient secrets that pique the interest of young Danny (Morgan Davies), who unlocks the door to unimagined wickedness that takes possession of Ellie and begins stalking him, older sister Bridget (Gabrielle Echols) and cherubic Kassie (Nell Fisher).

Beth calls upon her nascent maternal instincts to fight the demonic Ellie for the lives of the children, using everyday household items to gouge and maim with the ultimate showdown in the parking garage and involving -- unaccountably -- a chainsaw and woodchipper. Between the quippy Satanic banter, Cronin has inserted some pretty sharp observations that might ring true to those whose Life with Mother was less than heavenly.

Guy Ritchie's elegy to the mindless war in Afghanistan is actually the story of the relationship -- friendship seems a little delimiting, considering -- between an American recon soldier (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his Afghani interpreter (Dar Salim) who are the lone survivors of a raid on a Taliban bombmaking site that goes sideways. Gyllenhaal's Kinley is injured while trying to evade capture and Salim's Ahmed totes and carts Kinley over 120 miles of mountain roads to the American base, using his wits and brute strength. It's an amazing feat.

The first half of Ritchie's riveting story is about the two men building trust in a country and during an enterprise that does not reward it. Gradually and masterfully, Ritchie gives these men crucial context for what they do, and, not surprisingly, this does not include conspicuous flag-waving and chest-beating. Their motivations appear much simpler. Matters of the heart.

In the moments just after Kinley loses all of his squad in a Taliban counter-attack, he is shown sitting with his back to Ahmed, his face moving in and out of contortions over the devastating loss of his friends. He slowly contains himself, and the camera cuts to Ahmed whose own face shows him battling his instincts to reach out to Kinley. Neither man trusts the other to make that connection. It's a powerful moment handled wonderfully.

After Ahmed delivers the wounded and delirious Kinley to the base, the interpreter and his family must stay on the run from the Taliban. Kinley, back in the States, works unsuccessfully to obtain the visas the U.S. promised interpreters and their families so that Ahmed can get out of the country. When he is told time is running out for Ahmed, that he will soon be discovered and captured and likely killed, Kinley mounts a rescue attempt with the Taliban at their heels.

The film's endnotes remind viewers that hundreds of interprets were left in Afghanistan after the American pullout, many killed by the Taliban, others lost. It was the devotion of these two men that made the difference in their fates.