Connect with us
Evil Dead II annivesrsary review
Courtesy of Rosebud Releasing Corporation.

Culture

Evil Dead II at 35: The Dead Get Knocked Down, (But They Get Up Again)

Kiss Your Nerves Good-Bye!

Revisiting Evil Dead II

Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead franchise has spawned a TV series, an upcoming survival horror game, and a cult following, gaining much attention due to its pioneering brand of gory slapstick. While the first film started it all, it is Evil Dead II which managed to mix horror and comedy into glorious B-Movie gold.

Evil Dead II begins with Ash Williams, played by Bruce Campbell, breaking into a cabin in the woods with his girlfriend Linda for a romantic trip. We quickly discover that the cabin belonged to an archaeologist who had found the Necronomicon: The Book of the Dead. A mishap involving a tape recording of a summoning incantation releases demonic forces. Things quickly go south. The demon possesses Linda, forcing Ash to decapitate her with a shovel. This is only the prologue to the blood-drenched chaos to come.

After discovering that the bridge leading away from the cabin is destroyed, Ash has to fight to survive the night. A visiting group, including the archaeologist’s daughter and a trail guide, do little to help the situation. If anything, most of the group serve as fodder for the demonic onslaught. ‘Dead by Dawn’ is the subtitle to the film, and the persecuting demons (coined as ‘deadites’) certainly try their best. A solid A+ for effort. However, the manic energy and sheer determination of the hero makes him a foe to be reckoned with.

Evil Dead II annivesrsary review
Courtesy of Rosebud Releasing Corporation.

Bruce Campbell’s performance is a key part of the film’s success. With each new horror, he becomes increasingly unhinged, fully committing to the absurdity of the role. In the face of evil he screams, he laughs, he quips, and he maintains an air of constant unpredictability that makes him an absolute delight to watch. His antics often turn to full-blown slapstick. He becomes a Buster Keaton of the horror flick as his character is subjected to a catalogue of comic threats. A brilliant scene of physical comedy sees his possessed hand smashing plates onto his own head, a scene which is often echoed in the 2018 sci-fi film Upgrade – another gory genre film with stupendous physical acting.

Raimi demonstrates that horror directors and actors can learn a lot from the slapstick genre, as its exaggerated physicality lends so much weight to every blow. Slapstick really gets at the corporality of the body, an essential aspect in effective body horror.

Evil Dead II annivesrsary review
Courtesy of Rosebud Releasing Corporation.

Raimi’s interest in experimental camera techniques also pushed the genre further. The camera is as unpredictable as Campbell himself, sometimes morphing into frantic perspective shots, sometimes panning around slowly, sometimes even being dragged over the floorboards. There is a real creative energy behind this film, one which is often lacking in other horror flicks. Raimi’s interest in the camera and perspective elevates this film above many others in its genre.

While the practical effects are over-the-top in their absurdity, this simply adds to the fun. Evil Dead II takes no half-measures, and is destined to remain a cult classic for many years to come.

Watch Evil Dead 2

Now Streaming

Written By

Ryan is a culture writer, aspiring academic, and film enthusiast, with a particular interest in all things horror. He also can often be found, notepad to hand, puzzling over the latest detective games. He tweets at @RyanOShea42.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Facebook

Trending

2001: A Space Odyssey 2001: A Space Odyssey

2001: Clarke and Kubrick’s Odyssey of Discovery

Culture

Deep Impact was a serious look at the end of the world Deep Impact was a serious look at the end of the world

25 Years Later: Deep Impact was a Serious Look at the End of the World 

Film

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 movie review Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 movie review

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Caps Off the Trilogy With a Heartfelt Bang (Mostly)

Film

The Best Movies of 1973 The Best Movies of 1973

The Golden Year of Movies: 1973

Culture

The Zone of Interest The Zone of Interest

Cannes 2023: Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest is a Manicured Vision of Hell

Culture

Jeanne Du Barry review Jeanne Du Barry review

Cannes 2023: Maïwenn’s Great Hair Goes to Great Lengths in Jeanne Du Barry

Culture

Black Flies Gripping Black Flies Gripping

Cannes 2023: Black Flies— Gripping Descent into the Underbelly of New York’s Urban Misery 

Culture

Asteroid City: A Gimmicky Vanity Project Asteroid City: A Gimmicky Vanity Project

Cannes 2023: Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City is a Gimmicky Vanity Project

Culture

La Passion de Dodin Bouffant: La Passion de Dodin Bouffant:

La Passion de Dodin Bouffant: Surfeit Cooking Drama Most Inane Film at Cannes

Culture

BlackBerry movie review BlackBerry movie review

BlackBerry Is a Wonderfully Canadian Account of a Dying Tech Dream

Film

The Mother Jennifer Lopez and Lucy Paez The Mother Jennifer Lopez and Lucy Paez

Jennifer Lopez’s The Mother is Eerily Similar to Enough, But That’s Not a Bad Thing

Film

Godzilla 1998 Godzilla 1998

Godzilla at 25: When Hollywood Made a Manhattan Monster Movie, with Disastrous Results

Film

10 Best SummerSlam Matches 10 Best SummerSlam Matches

10 Best SummerSlam Matches

Culture

Sean Connery Sean Connery

60 Years Later, Dr. No Remains the Paragon of Bond

Film

The Matrix Reloaded The Matrix Reloaded

20 Years Later: The Matrix Reloaded was Underwhelming, but Still Underrated

Film

Discovery channel Discovery channel

The Head-Scratching Moves Discovery Has Been Making

Culture

Connect