Evil Dead - terrible, and that's why it's great

Rating: Null/10 (19 January 2005)

Evil Dead is a terrible, terrible movie. No one can possibly argue against that. That having been said, it's the best and most entertaining terrible movie I've seen. Evil Dead was filmed by Sam Raimi on a budget of $350,000 and it shows. Everything about this movie is terrible - except for the end result. The acting sucks, the special effects are laughable, the dialogue is the most stiff and unrealistic I have ever heard. At one point, one character turns around and is suddenly dead and possessed, with gray rotting skin and white eyes. She floats up into the air, explains to the others that they are all going to die, flies across the room and into the fall, and then falls down. The reaction of the others? Nothing. Eventually one asks "do you think she's alright?" That's just a sample. The makers of Evil Dead wanted to make the most gruesome and scary horror movie ever, and tried to push the envelope as far as they could. But their serious treatment is what makes it so funny. Everyone in this movie appears to very committed and serious about the movie, and the result is laughable. The actors seem to have no idea how bad they are, or how simply ridiculous the entire movie is. Had they known, it wouldn't have the same effect. Naturally, critics panned this movie across the board, but it found its audience in younger people who could find entertainment in bad movies. Eventually it developed such a following that it is now a trilogy, including Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness, all staring B-movie kind Bruce Campbell. Sam Raimi went on to direct Spider-Man 2, which had a special effects budget that soared into the millions. So they all lived happily ever after except for everyone else who was involved in the movie.
Final Verdict
The best terrible movie I've ever seen. The acting can be summed up in two words: cue cards. The movie leaves many questions unanswered, doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and provides plenty of laughs. An altogether enjoyable, but at the same time painful, movie experience.