Sam Raimi's Breakthrough Feature Is An Absurd Mix Of Chilling Horror & Ludicrous Comedy

Rating: Null/10 (2 April 2017)

Horror comedies aren't really my thing. It's a mashup of two polar opposite genres that works for me only when it's more a comedy than horror i.e. the latter aspects are diluted to a great extent. However, when the horror part is expertly executed & genuinely effective, the presence of humour in the subsequent moments feels like a spoilsport.
And that's exactly what happened with The Evil Dead. The entire build-up, the ominous ambiance, the jump scares, excess gore & violence, and almost all the aspects that make a horror film stand out are utilised to near-perfection but their impact is instantly doused by the ludicrous sequences & surplus campiness and it pretty much ruins the whole experience.
The story of The Evil Dead takes place at a remote cabin in the woods where five college students arrive to spend a peaceful weekend. While exploring the place, they come across an ancient book & an audiotape and inadvertently release a demonic force from the surrounding forest which takes them one by one, and turns their vacation into a nightmarish race for survival.
Written & directed by Sam Raimi, The Evil Dead is his breakthrough feature film and combines the elements of horror & comedy in a wicked manner to provide an experience that's as spine-tingling as it is absurd. It's a weird state to be in, shocked at one moment while laughing uncontrollably at other times and it may be the very reason behind its strong cult following over the years.
The film's isolated surrounding evoke a sinister aura from the beginning, and the way Raimi builds up its tense atmosphere is worthy of a mention. The jump scares keep surfacing from time to time and the inventive camera-work only adds to its eerie mood. But all of it is diminished by its farcical wit while the exaggerated performances from its cast leaves you wondering what it aims to do.
On an overall scale, The Evil Dead is cited by many as one of the greatest horror films ever made but I don't share that sentiment. I do believe, however, that it would've been a downright thrilling chiller had Raimi aimed for a full-fledged horror than his patented mix of two opposing genres. All in all, I'm sure many dig its uniqueness & the jarring experience it provides but I'm equally certain that it isn't for me.