These Demons from Beyond Scared the Pants Off of Me

Rating: 9/10 (31 March 2008)

SCARY AS HELL!!!!
This is one of the rare horror films that knows how to make gore frightening. But it's not just the blood and guts that terrifies here. it's Sam Raimi's accomplished direction and his fearless ability to make the movie so damn WEIRD that makes it such a good entry in the horror canon.
A bunch of kids are staying in an isolated cabin in the woods and conjure up a bunch of demons from beyond. Sounds pretty standard. But Raimi directs with such a unique style -- cartoonish and campy in a way, yet utterly terrifying in spite of, or maybe because of, that approach -- that I wound up watching this film with one hand poised to cover my eyes at any moment, and I don't scare easily.
I am not among those that think the film's sequel, "Evil Dead 2," is a masterpiece. Give me the first one any day.
Grade: A