A classic, of course

Rating: Null/10 (6 February 2006)

One of the greatest horror comedies ever made, the place where graphic horror and slapstick comedy intersects. Bruce Campbell gives one of the greatest performances ever in a horror movie, and when you stop to consider much of the film is just him in a one-man show the breadth of his achievement is even greater. Several bits seem to borrow heavily from "Three Stooges" style shtick, most notably the whole bit with the possessed hand. I've read a couple of reviews where people try to look at this as though it had horrific qualities; I think that's completely wrong. I would seriously wonder about anybody who was "scared" by this movie  and that's clearly not the intent, anyway.
Movie has some marvelous uses of camera work and some absolutely classic set pieces. ("Groovy", indeed.) Raimi makes a virtue of the limitations of his budget: most of the effects are charming stop-motion stuff. The sort-of-sardonic tone throughout here has pervaded popular culture more generally, which is not always a plus but that's not the movie's fault. Highly, highly recommended.