13 Days of Halloween: Evil Dead 2 (1987)

'Evil Dead 2' is not really a sequel, but rather what was likely the original vision of director Sam Raimi and his friends when creating the 1981 original. It's pretty safe to say that the film is more of a remake than a true sequel but whether a sequel or a remake 'Evil Dead 2' is a vastly superior entry that improves on everything while keeping the same fun and splatter the original had. The film as I said is essentially a remake with Ashley Williams (Bruce Campbell) and his girlfriend heading up to a cabin in the woods only for them to be terrorized by the evil that lives within. The film then takes a slight 180 by introducing a new group of people who arrive at the cabin to continue their research on the infamous Book of the Dead, the source of the demonic entities. Looney Tunes levels of insanity ensue with blood oceans spraying all over, goofy and spooky grotesque monsters, and some of the most famous one liners in film history.

One of the biggest strengths here is the creative camera work in which we see the demonic presence in a first person view as it chases its victims around and you sit there wondering just how could these guys pull this off with such a limited budget? Yes the original film did this effect very well too, but 'Evil Dead 2' takes it to 11 with the most impressive shot being the camera flowing straight through the back of a car's window and through the front windshield in one continuous take. You rarely see anything that impressive or unique in today's horror films and it's what makes 'Evil Dead 2' so memorable.


The controversy that surrounded the previous film is what many believe led to this film's more humorous and over the top tone and thank God if that's the truth. This film is like a bloody cartoon, and includes a severed demon hand giving the finger which sold me right away. If you like Three Stooges style slapstick humor and horror, you likely already have the many DVD editions of 'Evil Dead 2' so I don't have to tell you all, but for the rest of you who haven't seen it yet what are you waiting for?! 'Evil Dead 2' is the highlight entry in the series even to this day and while the original will always be important in its own right and the other films are great, nothing beats this one.

( A + )