First things first, get it right out of your head that this is a sequel to The Evil Dead. Evil Dead II takes place as if The Evil Dead never happened because in this installment, Ash is on his way to a cabin with his girlfriend Linda (no way in Hades Ash would return to that cabin right? And we all know what happened to Linda previously). Upon arriving they find a strange book, and a tape recorder filled with strange incantations; Linda is absconded with by the woods, and away we go! So what we’ve got in common with the original are Ash, the cabin, Candarian demons and a book of the dead.

Evil Dead II appears as though it’s going to stay true to the original in the sense of sheer horror; at least for the first 20 minutes of the film. Right around the 20 minute mark we start to see signs that we’re not going to be taken on the same ride we were on for the first outing. Instead we get quite a bit more lighthearted when Director Raimi decides to throw in some slapstick comic relief as well as an opportunity to start molding Ash into the wisecracking, one-liner spouting reluctant hero that we all know and love today.

More of what you’ll remember from this film are the funny moments. ED was remembered as a film that scared or disgusted the daylights out of people when first viewed. EDII on the other hand is remembered for the goofy scenes such as the deer head incident, the flying eyeball, and most of all the battle of the hand. Certainly all great moments, just unexpected after the sheer terror instilled in me by the original.

Everything in this film was definitely done well though, the gore by KNB EFX was top-notch as we’ve come to expect. Everything looked great, the sets, the beasties the gore. Then we had Raimi’s patented brand of crazy cinematics that he’s become famous for in all his films. And of course the acting; the chin shines brightly in this one showing his skills being serious, funny, and all-out-shithouse-rat-balls-to-the-wall-crazy when he starts cracking up (no pun intended). Most of the acting from the other players is great too, but I do have to give out a Bill Shatner overacting award to Sarah Barry, she was a bit extreme in her part for the entire film, it wasn’t awful per se, but one thing is for sure, that woman can SCREAM!

A comedic horror classic the likes of which must be seen by any fan of horror comedy, Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi, or the Evil Dead institution. This film also segues perfectly into the beginning of the third ED installment: Army of Darkness. Highly recommended!

The Good Bruce Campbell, great gore, laughs.
The Bad Multi-color blood, could turn off those looking for straight horror.
Review Rating: 8 out of 10 flying eyeballs

Definitely a masterpiece of spastic horror/comedy. Sam Raimi grabs you by the jugular and does not let go for 86 minutes. No messing around here, this movie gets right to the mayhem and it's great fun. What I love about this "sequel" to Evil Dead is the sheer ridiculousness of it all. Ash kills his possessed girlfriend with a shovel in a second without thinking twice. He doesn't try to talk to her or figure out what's going on, figure out if she's playing a joke on him. He just lets her have it.

Bruce Campbell is at his looney tunes best as the anti-hero doing what he has to to make it from one minute to the next. He really takes a beating and keeps coming back for more. The effects are really inventive and there's a great scene involving mirror that still makes me jump.

Raimi really likes to stick with the same actors in the 80's, anybody recognize the redneck towtruck driver from Intruder? I've seen this movie many, many, many, times and it will always be a favorite. Highly recommended.