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10. Evil Dead II (1987 / 176 points)
Directed by: Sam Raimi / Written by: Sam Raimi, Scott Spiegel
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Why Its Significant - The smoldering question no one was asking - why wasnt Evil Dead 1 on the list instead of 2? Its because anyone who knows this film knows the obvious answer - Evil Dead II is the first film, only better in every regard. Instead of being a mostly serious, straight-forward horror movie, Evil Dead 2 remakes the first film with a coat of slapstick comedy, forming the splatstick horror Evil Dead would come to be defined by and most associated with going forward. Series protagonist Ash is fully-formed here with several iconic quotes and of course the chainsaw arm coming from this film! Evil Dead 2 had many films aping its style, such as Peter Jacksons Dead Alive, Tucker & Dale vs Evil, Bubba Ho-Tep, Demon Wind, Cabin Fever, and who knows how many countless other b-movies out there, and even helped inspire DOOM. Evil Dead 2 was followed by three sequels & a TV series and a massive multi-media franchise.

The Rankers
Lightning - 3
Mythiot - 5
Rockus - 5
Bitto - 6
Seginustemple - 8
Fortybelowsummer - 9
Inviso - 12
Karo - 17
Plasmabeam - 17
Snake - 19
Jcgamer107 - 22
Johnbobb - 23
Evilordexdeath - 30

Lightning - Groovy.

The Evil Dead was a small gory horror movie that was made on a shoestring budget by people with no care or knowledge of typical genre conventions, leading to an instant classic with a distinct style and a bit of camp to it. Years later this led to a sequel, Evil Dead II, which amps up the horror while also introducing a lot more camp humour and slapstick. Most importantly, director Sam Raimi goes absolutely wild here with his directing, the camera flies around, there are incredible transitions, there are moments where the screen almost seems to warp and tear, or when the whole frame turns around. It is a truly dynamic movie and it makes it feel like a huge horror blockbuster despite being a low budget movie mostly confined to a cabin.

The word for Evil Dead II is maximalist. Everything is turned all the way up. Bruce Campbell is incredibly heightened and hes great here. The gore is strong, the horror is strong, and the humour is very big. In a sense this film feels like a ghost house ride that lasts for two hours but never gets boring, and never feels cheap like some of todays jump scare heavy horrors. It also builds on the mythology set up by the first film, going from a straightforward demonic possession tale with a bit of zombie imagery into a full blown fantasy with different worlds, magic, and even time travel. It is the kind of film where there are simply so many different aspects to it that just writing about it makes it sound like its not even real. If there had been any restraint imposed on it it just would not have been the same.

My only real issue with the film is the first five minutes, which sort of recap the first film with only two of the characters. This doesnt quite work and feels a little jarring. The film is also clearly intended to follow the first film and often references it with shots like Ash peering out through the trapdoor. You get past this part very quickly however, and after that its an absolutely wild rollercoaster of a horror film.

5/5

Rockus - Not quite a remake and not quite a sequel, Bruce Campbell called it a requel, but Evil Dead 2 appears to be when the Evil Dead franchise became fully formed with its brazen dark comedic voice. Sam Raimi and crew took the no budget inventive mentality from the first film and only got even more creative and more ambitious with it. Bruce Campbell gives an iconic performance that should have made him a full blown star as he fully commits to every bit and gag without hesitation. A true classic and I think the best film of both Raimi and Campbells careers.

Bitto - Rating: B

This is just a fun movie to watch. I especially like the filming in the movie. I haven't really seen...hammy filmmaking, but I guess this would be it. There's just some wild shots, some for artistic purposes and some for comedic purposes, but it definitely leaves an impression. The most iconic and emblematic scene has to be the badass scene of Ash getting a chainsaw for a hand...and then saying "Groovy." Speaking of Ash, he's just a fun character to watch throughout. I really like the scenes where he's in the process of getting possessed. The other characters are fine too; though, I really did not expect the thieving locals to be longtime characters in the film. They're fine. The ending is fucking wild. It really feels like they made that the ending just so people can go "I watched a movie with a crazy ending" to their friends.

Seginustemple - Notoriously as much of a remake as a sequel, because it's pretty nonsensical if this is all following after the first. Although it is kind of funny that it would imply his type is just blondes named Linda, and he brings a second Linda back to the cabin. I like the original for what it is, but II outdoes it in so many ways it's easy to write it off as a false start. Bruce Campbell goes full live-action cartoon mode in the best way, the lore has fun time-travel shenanigans, deadites have more attitude, the evil point-of-view chases are thrilling. The early one running through the entire cabin is ridiculously cool. I have to be in a silly mood for the all the splatstick to land, but it's the some of the best there is.

Fortybelowsummer - Its a no-brainer to have this one on the list rather than the original low-budget-but still pretty-great Evil Dead. While the first movie is more pure horror, this one really ramps up the quirky silliness that the series became known for. Bruce Campbell is actually one of the best physical performers Ive ever seen. Hes super fun to watch battling his own severed hand or disembodied girlfriend head or various other deadites with his iconic chainsaw and boomstick. The decision to go the funnier route but retain the geysers of blood and strewn body parts is brilliant. Its hilarious and gross and I love it because theres nothing else like it.

Inviso - For the first third of the movie, I was questioning why the fuck this movie has such a great reputation, because I found it kinda boring. I think part of the problem for me is that, while there are funny moments, and wacky hijinks, and just general slapstick for that whole portion of the movie, none of it feels earned. It feels like a segment in a horror anthology movie that got stretched out just a little too long. Part of that is how detached from everything Bruce Campbell is, which doesnt work for me when hes operating as a one-man show. Its just thirty minutes of a guy doing zany slapstick shit without any real reason. Hes in a cabin in the woods because thats the setting, and bad things are happening because he listened to a recording, but that plot feels like it has NOTHING to do with him, or the girlfriend he kills VERY early into the movie.

With all that being said, youd expect the movie to be much lower, right? Well lets just say that once the other characters show up at about that 30-35 minute mark, the movie starts to settle into something resembling an actual MOVIE instead of just a prolonged sketch show segment. Annie arriving gives the audience and emotional investment in the plot, because she actually has a justification for why shes at the cabin, and she has her fears and worries and just generally feels like an actual CHARACTER. Not the most complex of one, but you really need someone like Annie, who is largely the straight woman of the film, to stand in contrast to other over-the-top characters (like Ash).