Donovahn Wyatt is a movie critic for the Samford Crimson. The views expressed in this opinion article do not necessarily reflect the views of the Samford Crimson or Samford University.
WARNING: The movie being discussed is R-Rated and features scenes of intense violence and gore. Viewer discretion is advised.
Here’s a good piece of advice for the Halloween season: If you find a weird fleshy book with a face on it, run far away. Today, we’re taking a look at Sam Raimi’s 1987 horror-comedy classic, “Evil Dead II.”
Figure 1. Theatrical Poster. From IMDB
The film follows Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) fighting to survive when he accidentally unleashes demonic forces contained by an evil book. Despite being labeled as a sequel, this film can be treated as a standalone experience. “Evil Dead II” begins with Williams and his girlfriend, Linda, going on vacation to a seemingly abandoned cabin where he finds the Necronomicon-Ex-Mortis, the book of the dead. From then on, all hell figuratively and literally breaks loose. Linda is possessed by a demon, forcing Williams to kill his own girlfriend. Things further spiral out of control from there as Williams has to find a way to get out of the cabin. This may be easier said than done, especially when the cabin itself doesn’t want him to leave quite yet.
Figure 2. Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams. From [FILMGRAB]
This is a phenomenal example of grindhouse B-movie horror. Copious amounts of blood is spilled all throughout the runtime. Williams even is put through a literal bloodbath when the cabin nearly drowns him in the substance at one point in the movie. Another iconic grisly moment is when William’s hand is possessed, and he is forced to cut it off with a chainsaw.
Figure 3. Ash cuts off his hand. From Little Bits of Gaming & Movie
Raimi was able to effectively balance absurd comedy with brutal violence. Despite what one would expect, this is a very funny movie. Unlike other horror-comedy films where the balance of the genres is heavily in one direction or the other, this film strikes a perfect ratio between screams and laughs. While it is morbid at times, you will find yourself laughing out loud. The humor is both intentional and unintentional at moments, due to the low production values and cheesy effects in specific scenes.
Campbell’s performance further enhances all of the themes and tones discussed. There’s an intensity to his performance that draws you in. Throughout the film, his mental state is a factor that comes into play. It’s plain to see that the torment he’s receiving at the hands of the demons is driving him insane, which comes across excellently in his performance. He brings a physicality to his performance as well that adds to the comedic moments. For example, when Williams’s hand is possessed, the way Campbell moves really sells the scene.
Dark, grisly and hysterical, this is a phenomenal piece of horror filmmaking that’s absolutely worth a watch during this spooky season. Seek it out any way you can.
