Ash Returns... With Gore, Guts and Morbid Fun

Rating: 10/10 (16 February 2009)

Sam Raimi's low-budget masterpiece "The Evil Dead" of 1981 was an absolutely astonishing film in all regards, and without any doubt one of the most terrifying, creepiest, most suspenseful and simply greatest Horror films ever brought to screen. The second entry to Raimi's wonderful "Evil Dead" franchise, "Evil Dead II" of 1987 is not so much a sequel, but rather a remake of the first film, this time with a higher budget, more complex special effects, and a strong focus on Comedy elements. Many people actually seem to prefer the sequel over the original, as it got a higher rating here on IMDb. While this sequel is doubtlessly a great film of its own right, I will personally always prefer the 1981 original, a personal all-time favorite of mine which is simply unrivaled in its creepiness and its status as an absolute Horror/Gore milestone. The sequel once again takes Ash (Bruce Campbell) and his girlfriend on a trip deep into the woods, where the residents of a small cabin are one by one possessed by evil forces after playing a mysterious tape... The plot is basically the same as that of the original, only that, this time, the film is a very morbid black Horror Comedy rather than a terrifying Horror film like the first one. The original "Evil Dead" was basically the epitome of Horror, and while it also had some humorous moments, the humor was only present in small doses, and it never lessened the film's constant terrifying suspense. The sequel still has its creepy moments, of course, but in this film, the Comedy elements are predominant. The film is, once again, extremely gory, but even the gore is funny and goes more into the direction of Gore-comedies than of the terrifying original. While "Evil Dead II" may not be quite as scary as its predecessor (it's still suspenseful though), its humor should appeal to the tastes of the fans of the original - in short: it's the most morbid kind of black humor imaginable, just delightfully demented from the beginning. The film also introduces a bunch of new characters, including a stupid redneck named Jake. The original had turned Bruce Campbell into one of the most popular Horror/B-Movie stars ever, and he is once again great when he reprises the role of his life, Ash, in this sequel. The film's higher budget allows more complex special effects, great makeup and a spectacular cinematography. Yet, as said above, I will always prefer the original, which stands out as of the greatest Horror films ever and the ideal proof that a relatively low budget can result in an absolutely amazing film. Even so, "Evil Dead II" is a great film, and an absolute must-see for all Horror fans and lovers of morbid humor. Enjoy!