It's a constantly disturbing film that shakes up the senses, and it rarely goes out of its way to cause a stir...

Rating: 8/10 (19 April 2005)

The Evil Dead
Five friends decide to stay up in a remote cabin that is in the middle of the woods. Ashly (Bruce Campbell), Cheryl (Ellen Sandweiss), Scott (Hal Delrich), Linda (Betsy Baker) and Shelly (Sarah York) originally had in mind a quiet, relaxing weekend away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but their tranquil vacation immediately comes to an end when strange goings on begin to occur both inside and outside of the house. The group discover a mysterious book with strange inscriptions inside the pages, and audio tapes which were recorded by the last people to stay in the house; an archaeologist whose suspicions about his wife being possessed may have had a basis in reality.
Pencils stabbed into leg wounds? Eyeballs being squashed? To describe 'The Evil Dead' as "gory" would be a severe understatement, as director Sam Raimi seems to have no qualms about thrusting the audience right into the bloody, cringe-inducing mayhem that makes up the second half of this, his first feature film. And yet, believe it or not, the term "gory" is something of a misnomer when applied to 'The Evil Dead', as it usually has the habit of implying that the film it is describing has little going for it besides blood-splattered carnage and over-the-top set pieces. The controversy surrounding the content of the film is understandable, as some scenes are sure to induce physical nausea for those who watch them. But what Sam Raimi has created with 'Evil Dead' is much more than that; it's a constantly disturbing film that shakes up the senses, and it rarely goes out of its way to cause a stir.
~ 8/10 ~