Okay, NOW I get it. Evil Dead was good, super gory, but seeing it so late in the game I struggled to see what gives it the clout it has today. Then I watched this one right after, and now I totally get it. This is hilarious, Bruce is a true badass, its gory, insane, and ridiculous. Hoping this awesome continues with Army of Darkness.
Pretty much a remake of the first movie, if not even a parody. Although the pacing and visual impact are hundreds of times better, it kind of misses the roughness and inventive approach of the original. Not nearly as entertaining as Peter Jackson's "Braindead" , but still worth checking out from time to time.
Well, it may not be a popular idea, but I didn't find the movie very good. Mostly because of horrible special effects (it's an old movie so that's understandable, the first part when the bodies were falling down it looked grotesque, they used something like blended onion or something). But even then, there were already better techniques to make it look less ridiculous.
Also, maybe I'm dumb, but I don't get how are these two first movies even connected. Ash and his friends find sumerian book of death thingy in remote mountain cabin, then they all die and he survives. In second movie the same Ash goes to different remote mountain cabin with his girlfriend and he finds the same(?) book of death thingy and she + some random people die and he survives again. He didn't remember what happened in the first movie? I watched the whole trilogy one after another and I can't figure out how did they work together. At least the last movie had a bit original story.
I rate it : I'm not a fan of onion out of ten
7/10
Just, would have been a 6/10 if not for the blood gore and mess.
Now this is not comedy horror,
This is a Horror-Comedy
and yes their's a difference.
That being said this is no way better than number 1
Not in a million years
Never....Will be.
Number 1 is a far far superior movie in every way, the blood gore mess, the deaths, the interesting story, the camra work all hand held by Raimi.
The stand out iconic scene of the forest rape that was one of the main reason the masterpiece of the original got banned for and made it infamous, everything that has made the original timeless and one of the best damn horror movies ever made was watered down and paled in comparison, everything that put number 1
in the "GOAT" category has been gutted and watered-down for this continuation, I mean Raimi got summoned to a court of law over number 1 and had to stand in front of a judge and defend the 1st movie and prevent his ass from going to jail, so I get why number 2 is the way it is but nobody can tell me this is the better movie.
"Not with a straight face they can't".
But here's the ups
Before Jim Carrey their was "Bruce Campbell"
and my god he sells Ash in this installment, the guy is acting his heart out and then some, now whether the slapstick is you're cup of tea are not you can not denie that Bruce is definitely the man for the job for this type of carry on. Holly Shit the guy can act and that's why he is a Legend through and through, even though I hate it when comedy-slapstick waters my Horror down Bruce definitely saw me through this second installment and made it very watchable and entertaining, I would not have enjoyed it at all with anybody else in the role.
It served as a good sequel to move the story on
and I get why it was sort of a retelling because
New Line would not give the rights or any footage from the original to Raimi to do a sequel, Raimi wanted to use old footage to make it a complete blend from the 1st movie straight into the second but because he couldn't get the rights he said F-U to new line and just re-shot the hole lot with different
actors/actresses supporting our Hero
Bruce/Ash, so I'm fine we got a restructuring
because at least we got
The Evil Dead II
from it.
Look it's a good movie and I do enjoy it and I find the pacing is rather good and the movie has a great energy to it all thanx to Brucey baby and this movie certainly doesn't over stay it's welcome and all though it's
not a patch on number 1 this movie is certainly a welcome addition and is still good fun 20yrs later.
Now: ARMY OF DARKNESS
The Directors Cut
What points this loses in coherence and structure it immediately makes right back with energy, ingenuity and sheer entertainment value. Little more than a one man show, Evil Dead 2 is where Bruce Campbell really made his name, and deservedly so. Whether he's shrieking like a little girl at the sight of a poorly-animated headless marionette, cackling deviously as he pounds a spike through his own evil right hand or playing it cool as the gritty, badass soldier-man with a chainsaw appendage, Campbell boldly plants his flag right in the center of every scene. I can't begin to imagine the kind of fun he and director Sam Raimi must have had cooking up one outlandish, unbelievable situation after the other, then playing it up on-screen to such ridiculous lengths. It's a film you'll never quite nail down - is it meant to be serious or slapstick? - and that's precisely why it works so well. A metric ton of fun that escalates in the blink of an eye.
2 / 2 directing & technical aspect
0 / 1 story
1 / 1 act I
.5 / 1 act II
1 / 1 act III
1 / 1 acting
1 / 1 writing
1 / 1 originality
0 / 1 lasting ability to make you think
.5 / 1 misc (amazing for its time, still great for our time)
8 / 10
If the whole movie kept the energy of the first half it’d be five stars. But god the atmosphere of the first half, how Campbell carries the movie so hard with a full body and soul commitment… the other characters can’t hope to match it. The second half isn’t bad, by any means, but that first half is top tier horror-comedy, and I think I could honestly watch this movie up to the other characters entering the cabin and not get bored
Now this is Evil Dead. A devotion to excess, it knows exactly what it wants to be now, carrying confidence without losing the thrilling elasticity of a young director going wild. The slapstick comedy, the tongue in cheek fountains of blood, the laughter scene that’s both camp and unsettling, all anchored by Campbell keying in on what the series is now and selling it. The problem is the first half is such a delight that the second drags a little in comparison, when no one else can match Campbell’s ability to inhabit this world. When it stops being just the cabin and Ash the heightened surreality, like he’s separated entirely from the normal world, is diminished, and none of the supporting cast are half as memorable.
Still, there’s plenty of good bits in the second half too, and the first half alone would make this great viewing. This is a proudly silly and giddily bloodthirsty treat in on the joke, and it’s no wonder it was a blueprint for so many horror comedies after.
Evil Dead 2 attempts to be bigger than the original, but it loses itself in the process. Its narrative feels chaotic and jarring. A requal we could do without.
"That's right, so who's laughing now? WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?!?!"
Not even close, so much better than the original! Take everything from the first (gross over-the-top gore, gallons of blood, impressive practical effects, epic camera movements, crazy plot, dumb fun comedy...) multiply it by two and you get Evil Dead II. An incredibly chaotic, yet perfect balance of insanity, comedy and horror. The original had a rough start but this one has much better pacing there's really no time to get bored and it stays at peak for the whole runtime. The special effects are ingenious and so creative. There's even more stop-motion animation and it's fascinating to look at. My favorite part is when Ash fights with his hand, physical comedy at it's best and then the chainsaw, so epic! The ending is weird as hell, not sure I like it but it'll depend on the next entry which is guaranteed to be the most crazy ridiculous. Such a memorable classic. A really fun watch!
Lots of incredibly entertaining, fun scenes, and the camerawork is very kinetic and expressive.
The acting is also surprisingly solid for an 80s horror movie.
However, the narrative structure and exposition dumps are quite clunky, and there isn’t anyone who resembles a character, so the emotional beats don’t hit as hard as they potentially could.
It also wouldn’t be a Sam Raimi film if there weren’t at least a few moments where the technology gets pushed way beyond what should be attempted at the time, so there are some visuals that look incredibly dated, even when you keep other films from around the same time in mind. I feel bad for calling out artistic ambition, but Raimi to me seems like someone who doesn’t give a shit about how his film will age, and as a result his films haven’t stood the test of time as well as other directors.
Nevertheless, it’s a relentless ride that’s entertaining more often than it isn’t. It’s also quite unique, taking influence from genres you don’t often see in horror comedies (e.g. the cheesy one liners which are a clear nod to 80s action movies).
7/10
Not as inventive with the fights as the first movie. Camerawork still good but not as good. The kills aren't dragged out and milked as much, and I missed that. The original had tension between kills and this is just a waiting game between kills. I didn't find it hilarious but I did enjoy the comic humour. Not really into the cheesy lines but they don't hurt. Still worth a watch if you enjoyed the first. Many prefer this one.
Bruce Campbell, forever a genius.
So campy, good watch though
Rated a Connor 10, normal 8.4
“Groovy!” Sam Raimi crafts another cult classic in Evil Dead II, an outrageous horror comedy. The story follows Ash Williams as he takes his girlfriend out for a romantic getaway at an abandoned cabin in the woods, but he ends up releasing an ancient demon and must battle for his life. Bruce Campbell delivers an amazing performance, and turns Ash into the iconic character that he’s become. Raimi’s directing is also improved, and does a really good job at balancing the horror and the comedy. However, the stop-motion animation is poorly done and doesn’t hold up very well. Yet while it has some flaws, Evil Dead II surpasses the original and delivers a more intense and terrifying experience.
This is what every movie wishes it was, Bruce Campbell is what every actor wishes they was and ... GROOVY.
Cult film for some, but I'm atheist
Based on its reputation, I would have expected to like the second film in the "Evil Dead" series a bit more. But I had a ton of fun with this sequel/remake regardless. You notice the bigger budget right from the start. Director Sam Raimi once again shows his incredible creativity. However, one should not expect a coherent sense of continuity from the series. The tone has shifted significantly since the first installment; the level of violence has been reduced slightly and replaced with numerous slapstick bits.
The cast worked much better for me this time around, even if some of the characters continue to be pretty flat. Fortunately, Bruce Campbell has improved a lot compared to the first movie. Overall, I have a few issues with the film's tone, which doesn't always seem to mesh. Nevertheless, it's a fun horror comedy, for sure.
Far better than the original. Great ending and addition of lore. Even though I am not a fan of the genre, I like a charismatic character like Ash.
another movie awful! i watching in the 1.20 speed, good decision. This one is full of gaps, seems that Raimi will doing a reboot not a sequel
Sam Raimi truly went bonkers for the sequel. Never have I seen a better marriage of horror and comedy without sacrificing the horror element.
This is probably my favorite of the trilogy. It has a perfect blend of horror and comedy. This film is more the turning point for Ash becoming the character he has become famous for.
The bulk of it was a little too slapstick and over-the-top for me to be able to take it seriously, or even to find it terribly funny, but I appreciate what the effort was about. It did have some cool moments — Ash's one-liners, the part where they rigged the chainsaw onto his arm — and the practical effects were great, but the first half hour or so felt like I'd missed part of the beginning for setup, and it was rushed, in my opinion. The ending was pure Time Bandits, so silly. Overall the plot was a little tighter than the original, though again, it felt like I was missing some key exposition somewhere that would have better explained why Ash and Linda were there to begin with, and why Ash didn't even hesitate to knock her head off with a shovel and then immediately bury her with no apparent emotional upset. I'll probably watch Army of Darkness to just see how that all gets resolved, but beyond that my interest level is actually LOWER after watching this one.
This sequel got better than the first installment and the practical effects still holds until this day.
Get some people out at a cabin in the woods, throw in some incantations from the book of the dead and let the good times roll. Not much else to be said about a bonafide classic that is completely it's own thing that nails the spooks, the goofs and of course the gore. Sam Raimi is back in a big way this year with Multiverse of Madness, the Evil Dead game and the upcoming Evil Dead Rise so relive the classics!
Pure instanity! When you thought The Evil Dead could not be more inventive and creative, Evil Dead II takes you to another level of absurdity. This film is a slightly different retelling of the first film but it brings huge improvements. With higher budget, better looking special effects, more gore, more fun camera techniques, and added full-blown comedy, it's impossible not to have fun while watching it. The stop-motion effects are done extraordinarily well and the gore is the perfect blend of ridiculous and disgusting. It really knows when to take itself seriously and when not to. Bruce Campbell once again effortlessly pulled off his character and his expressiveness adds an extra charm to the film. Not really much to say besides this being so entertaining.
First time I saw this, I didn't like the slapstick humor. I didn't know you could mix genres. Now I find it a blast!
So nice so much better than part1 so funny for all who like ash vs evil dead even in 2021 :)
The movie is actually good at being entertaining, not a dull moment in terms of things that make you want to talk to the person beside you about and so its really good at being fun to watch.
Hilarious follow-up. It's jam packed with goofy, groovy hijinks and wild, inventive camerawork. It's endlessly entertaining watching Bruce Campbell go looney tunes. This rivals the original, almost even surpasses it.
Not really a sequel.
This is the movie Evil Dead should have been!
I think I like this one more than the first just because of how ridiculous it is.
I should have started from the beggining but I still haven't seen Sam Raimi's first Evil Dead, I just saw the recent remake. However, I really enjoyed this second one! It was a great comedy horror that amused me from the very first minute.
The sound effects, the special effects, the gore, the camera work, the acting are all perfect and helped to create that creepy atmosphere full of crazy demons! The creativity of this film is amazing! I loved it!
Maybe it was a good a movie back in 87 maybe, just maybe...
Geners:Comedy, Horror and fiction:)
Shout by Amanda BeatyVIP 2BlockedParent2017-11-07T01:14:19Z
So this is a sequel to a movie that the sequel pretends never happened?