Rating of
3/4
"Evil Dead 2" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 12/19/11
A group of strangers are trapped with a malevolent demonic force in an isolated cabin in the woods. Evil Dead 2 is more of a bigger budget remake of Evil Dead than a sequel and its where Sam Raimi perfected his trademark comic strip style. It's obviously still made on a shoestring by today's standards but the hysterical over-acting and amusingly ropey effects actually add to the madcap vibe of the film that's a bit like a ride on a ghost train through a fun house. It's actually far too silly to be considered scary, relying more on sight gags and slapstick than atmosphere or tension; a lot of the humour is straight out of old school Vaudeville, Raimi including an homage to the Marx Brothers' mirror gag and the plate sequence is straight out of the Three Stooges. There's little in the way of characterisation or even plot, the opening film basically consisting of "this is Ash, this is his girlfriend...oops he's beheaded her" and when the cast are not laughing hysterically, they're screaming hysterically. But what it is, is wildly inventive and breakneck in its pace which may not be the work of genius I was convinced it was when I was a teenager but is sure as hell still worth a beer'n'buddies night every Halloween. A cult classic.
