"Groovy!"

Rating: 10/10 (21 January 2006)

The sequel to the gory, atmospheric horror flick The Evil Dead is really more of a (black) slapstick comedy... something there was a hint of in the first. Here, it's pushed all the way through... it's cartoony and provided you're into the humor, fun. I found it more cool than fun, honestly; never been into laughing at pain, no matter whose it is. But there's no doubt about it; this film is cool. It's also very much a 'guy' film... get 'the gang' together, call up all your guy friends and get a copy of this film, preferably an uncut one. You'll love it. So did I, no doubt about that. The better part of the film is basically a remake of the first... new characters and new plot points, but the progression and such is the same. The situations are the same, but the ways in which we get to them are different from the first film. It's a fine idea, and it works great, too, because the outcomes of the situations are different, as well... meaning, you see a scene and go "Oh, right, I remember this from the first... oh yeah, now he... what the ...!?" The plot is interesting, new and old parts alike. It's not Shakespeare, but it keeps your interest. The acting is the same fairly low standard as that of the first. The characters are equally ill-developed(though this time, I *could* tell them apart... they were easier to tell from each other, however, so maybe I wasn't the only one who couldn't tell those in the first apart?). The editing is excellent, just as the case was with the first. The special effects have improved... harder to figure out than those of the first, and that says quite a lot. The budget is higher(ten-fold, according to this very site), and it's most definitely noticeable. The emphasis throughout all of the film is mostly on humor and 'coolness' factor, very little on scares and horror. There's about the same amount of gore, at least as far as I could tell. The film is worth watching for just about any guy... regardless of maturity, really. There are things here that will make every guy watching it go "way cool!". One scene in particular had said effect on me... around the one hour mark, involving a chainsaw and a shotgun... anyone who has seen the film already know what I'm talking about, and I won't say anymore so as to not spoil it for anyone who hasn't. See it for yourself; you won't regret it. I recommend this film to any fan of Sam Raimi, gore, the first The Evil Dead, slapstick and/or Bruce Campbell. Of course, all guys should check it out. The film has such a thick 'guy' vibe, it should almost be mandatory for guys to watch it. Anyway, if you fit into one or more of the aforementioned groups, get a hold of this flick and watch it. Chances are high you'll love every second of it. 10/10