Evil Dead II

Okay, NOW I get it. Evil Dead was good, super gory, but seeing it so late in the game I struggled to see what gives it the clout it has today. Then I watched this one right after, and now I totally get it. This is hilarious, Bruce is a true badass, its gory, insane, and ridiculous. Hoping this awesome continues with Army of Darkness.

Love this movie! In my top 10 of greatest horror movies of all time.

This is probably my favorite of the trilogy. It has a perfect blend of horror and comedy. This film is more the turning point for Ash becoming the character he has become famous for.

I should have started from the beggining but I still haven't seen Sam Raimi's first Evil Dead, I just saw the recent remake. However, I really enjoyed this second one! It was a great comedy horror that amused me from the very first minute.

The sound effects, the special effects, the gore, the camera work, the acting are all perfect and helped to create that creepy atmosphere full of crazy demons! The creativity of this film is amazing! I loved it!

Essential horror—you don’t need to have seen the first. If you have a lower tolerance for small-budget films then I might even suggest skipping Evil Dead 1 (at least initially).

“Evil Dead 2” is a real cinematic experience, blending horror and comedy so irreverently that it feels like a study of the genre itself. At first glance, it might seem like just another horror movie made to gross you out, with over-the-top gore and blood splattering everywhere. But if you look closer, you’ll see director Sam Raimi is actually flipping horror conventions on their head and having fun with the absurdity. Instead of simply shocking, he makes you laugh at what’s happening, and that’s what makes this movie so unique.

The plot is straightforward, but the execution is what really counts here. A group of people ends up in an isolated cabin in the Michigan woods, where they find a copy of the dreaded Book of the Dead and, of course, accidentally summon demonic forces. What follows is a series of insane events, with creatures from beyond attacking in every possible way – mutilations, possessions, and, of course, tons of blood. But Raimi isn’t just creating typical horror scenes. He’s showing us how far imagination can go, and the result is a kind of cinematic “war” where the grotesque is treated with a lighthearted spirit and perfect comedic timing.

What stands out immediately in “Evil Dead 2” is its unmistakable style. Despite being a low-budget production, Raimi manages to turn his limitations into strengths, using technique and raw energy to create a unique atmosphere filled with an intensity that polished films simply don’t have. Every scene feels on the edge of absurdity, with special effects that, though obviously done on the cheap, become part of the movie’s charm. You can’t help but be amazed by the ingenuity and boldness of the practical effects – the monsters, dismembered bodies, limbs coming to life – all done with a playful spirit that pushes past gross into the realm of the surreal.

The genius of “Evil Dead 2” is how it turns the grotesque into something hilarious. The sequence where Ash (Bruce Campbell) cuts off his own hand, only for it to start attacking him like an independent creature, is a perfect example of this. Without the over-the-top violence, this scene could be a nightmare homage to the Three Stooges. And when Ash replaces his missing arm with a chainsaw, it adds a comic twist, almost like a twisted nod to iconic movie moments like “Taxi Driver,” but in a completely unhinged universe.

However, even with all the insanity, “Evil Dead 2” doesn’t lose its pace. The first half is a true showcase of creativity, with a frenetic energy that makes time fly, but as the movie goes on, it starts to feel a bit repetitive. Not that this is a big issue – in a way, the repeated scenes of violence and destruction become an essential part of the fun, but it’s hard not to notice the extravagance loses a bit of its punch as the movie nears the end.

One of the film’s most memorable sequences happens right at the beginning, when we see an invisible, mysterious force through an impressive POV camera sequence. It’s one of “Evil Dead 2” most skillful moments and shows how Raimi can create tension without showing anything directly. The way he moves the camera to make you feel something huge and threatening is lurking is a masterful piece of suspense and also a jab at horror itself, where often the audience’s imagination is more effective than any visual effects.

In terms of acting, Bruce Campbell as Ash is the real heart of the film. He brings an energy that perfectly matches the madness of the script and direction, doing the impossible: being the hero of a horror film while totally losing it in his own delirium. His physical performance is phenomenal, and he gives the character a mix of suffering, absurdity, and bravery that’s totally unique. He’s both the “leading man” and the joke that never stops being funny.

Overall, “Evil Dead 2” goes beyond simple horror to become a true masterclass in style and reinvention of the genre. Sam Raimi, with his unique vision, doesn’t just deliver a blood-and-guts spectacle but also a film full of dark humor, satire, and an untamable energy that’s hard to replicate. If you can take the violence and gore with the same sense of absurdity the movie demands, you’ll be rewarded with one of the craziest and most fun experiences ever created.

This is what every movie wishes it was, Bruce Campbell is what every actor wishes they was and ... GROOVY.

Sam Raimi truly went bonkers for the sequel. Never have I seen a better marriage of horror and comedy without sacrificing the horror element.

Hilarious follow-up. It's jam packed with goofy, groovy hijinks and wild, inventive camerawork. It's endlessly entertaining watching Bruce Campbell go looney tunes. This rivals the original, almost even surpasses it.

What points this loses in coherence and structure it immediately makes right back with energy, ingenuity and sheer entertainment value. Little more than a one man show, Evil Dead 2 is where Bruce Campbell really made his name, and deservedly so. Whether he's shrieking like a little girl at the sight of a poorly-animated headless marionette, cackling deviously as he pounds a spike through his own evil right hand or playing it cool as the gritty, badass soldier-man with a chainsaw appendage, Campbell boldly plants his flag right in the center of every scene. I can't begin to imagine the kind of fun he and director Sam Raimi must have had cooking up one outlandish, unbelievable situation after the other, then playing it up on-screen to such ridiculous lengths. It's a film you'll never quite nail down - is it meant to be serious or slapstick? - and that's precisely why it works so well. A metric ton of fun that escalates in the blink of an eye.