more entertaining than the first; a great party flick

Rating: 10/10 (2 July 2004)

Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, distinguishes itself from the original in that this time the hero Ash (the unmistakable, often hysterically funny hero of the Evil Dead trilogy, Bruce Campbell) isn't the last one on the line in the kind of unique, nearly art-film (not to scare off people, I mean more like WAY low-budget) horror-filled treatise on the teenagers-down-to-one. This time, Ash is like the hero of a Saturday afternoon matinÃ©e special or updated drive-in flick that's been allowed by the censors to show whatever's inside the creator(s). Sam Raimi, the mad genius behind this trilogy and films like A Simple Plan, The Gift, and the recent Spiderman 1 & 2, doesn't keep his material high and dry for too long. In fact, not much is too low-brow in the horror book. He pulls almost every trick out of this book, so the speak, to get the audience into a shocked, but (with the proper sense of humor) amused mood at the lengths the 'curse' will take Ash and the other visitors.
And from a film-making standpoint (this is aside from the fact that the story's a clever send-off of tongue-in-cheek, ultra-violent Italian horror films), it's all bravura thanks to the great make-up and special effects. Two of the fx crew, Greg Nicotero and Robert Kurtzman, made this as their official, outstanding proving grounds before heading off to start KNB effects, which has worked on array of action and horror films. And always there's a cruel, if totally and timely un-realistic turn waiting for Ash and the others, as Raimi and co-writer Spiegel maintain the zombies and such. The highlights include the little hand that could (provided by Nicotero), a "mother" laid to rest in a fruit cellar, and a flock of trees awaiting in the forest outside the cabin (which, for me, was more frightening and disturbing when done in the first film).
Aside from the onslaught of ridiculousness, and rebellion against being embraced by any mainstream audience, it's something of an acquired taste. Though it's gained a hefty cult following, and rightfully so, you show this to any random audience of today and the effect may be the same as when it first came out - some will love it, and some may almost puke or walk out. But it's the kind of film, like the first as well as the wonderful Army of Darkness, that displays Raimi's inspired talents with a lens, and it grows on you. Not to mention, it makes a fine old party movie with friends; it's the work of a real comedic talent, not just of a sensational stylist.