Before taking on Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, Sam Raimi made his mark on Hollywood with this utterly unique horror flick...
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks
Running time: 84 minutes
Six years after the release of The Evil Dead, a weird, bold and iconic horror from director Sam Raimi, came Evil Dead II, an even weirder, bolder and more iconic horror from director Sam Raimi. Much like with James Cameron’s move from Alien to Aliens, this goes bigger, braver and more bizarre than its original - with the filmmaker making full use of a more generous budget to take things to new, audacious levels, making one of the most beloved cult classics of all time in the process.
When Bruce Campbell’s Ash decides to take his girlfriend to the middle of nowhere for a supposedly romantic getaway in the woods, things start to go wrong - very quickly. Before you can shout ‘don’t go to a random lodge in these creepy woods, you absolute idiots’, dancing corpses, sentient trees and dismembered hands are threatening Ash’s life, as he tries to survive until dawn and lift the curse that plagues this terrifying retreat.
Where the original Evil Dead is something of a slow burn, gradually building tension with a growing sense of dread, Evil Dead II does not mess around. Raimi gives the impression of a filmmaker determined to make up for lost time, jumping straight into the action before your bum has warmed your seat. By the time a motley crew of randomers turns up and reluctantly teams up with Ash, our protagonist has already been put through the ringer, sawing off body parts and slicing off heads in a desperate attempt to stay alive.
Some films are truly unique - and, even 35 years later, Evil Dead II is certainly one of those
There are spectacular set-pieces aplenty, with Raimi coming up with a consistent string of unsettling scenarios for the gang to deal with. Inanimate objects suddenly become animate, zombified old women come back to life, and giant faces crash through windows to devour our protagonists. Campbell, while far from the most subtle actor, is a perfect fit for this insanity, his chaotic physical presence and unbreakable commitment to his director’s vision making him the perfect horror hero.
Sure, over three decades after it hit the big screen, some of the visuals have become outdated, but with its deliciously dark sense of humour, you really don’t mind. It’s fun, it’s frantic and it’s full of iconic moments (Ash suiting up with a chainsaw on one hand and a sawn-off shotgun in the other, anyone?) - there’s really no surprise that it has become a fan favourite for several generations since it was brought to life.
It might have taken Sam Raimi over half a decade to get together the funds for his masterpiece, after something of a trial run with The Evil Dead, but it was definitely worth the wait. Some films are truly unique, truly unlike anything else - and, even 35 years later, Evil Dead II is certainly one of those.
Did you know? Stephen King was such a huge fan of The Evil Dead that he convinced producer Dino De Laurentiis over dinner to have his production company DEG (De Laurentiis Entertainment Group) finance Evil Dead II.
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