Review for Evil Dead 2

Groovy!

How could a dated word sound so cool when coming out of the mouth of the B-Movie God Bruce Campbell? And how could a sequel to one of the seminal horror movies of the 1980s, a film that was vilified as a 'Video Nasty' be even better? I'll tell you why:

Sam Raimi.

Before he went all mainstream with his Spiderman films, Raimi was the best indy filmmaker that there has ever been. A man who on a shoestring budget could create a phenomenally effective movie that in 2013 would probably cost billions and rely on CGI. Instead, with a little imagination, a great effects team and of course the wonderful Bruce Campbell, he was able to create what is one of the best horror-comedy films of all time. This of course is Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn.

For those who haven't seen the original, fear not as the first section is a recap/remake of that film entirely. Before anyone starts arguing whether the film is a remake or a rehash or... the truth is that Raimi could not obtain the rights to use the footage from the first film and so instead of just ignoring it (or hoping people had seen it) he simply chose to film a very simple almost 'previously on...' section which explains what happened in this film. After this, then the real sequel kicks in... and boy does it kick in. If you thought the original was madcap, gross-out humour and horror, then this takes it to a whole new level.

Ash (Bruce Campbell) and his friends go to a cabin in the woods where they discover the Necronomicon or The Book of the Dead which a Professor has been trying to translate. They play a tape of the Professor reading an extract and demons begin possessing the woods and everyone they attack. This culminates in one of the most amazing sequences in which Ash must fight himself, the room, and finally his hand which he gruesomely deals with in the only way he knows how... with a chainsaw. However, even sawing off his hand doesn't stop it from trying to attack him. This whole sequence (which is what most people will remember from the film) is almost like a Three Stooges sketch with Campbell playing the role of all three of them.

While this is going on, the Professor's daughter Annie (Sarah Berry) comes across Ash with more pages found from the book. She assumes that Ash is a murderer which is not surprising with him now sporting a groovy chainsaw in place of his right arm and brandishing a sawn off shotgun. The scene of him making this armour is iconic and makes the film even better. During all this, the two must face Annie's possessed mother who has been kept locked in the cellar and even the possession of Ash himself. This all comes together to an epic, disgusting and utterly hilarious climax that anyone who has seen the first film will come to expect from the series.

It will come as no surprise when I say that I loved this film, though I do prefer its sequel Army of Darkness and I am more impressed with what they achieved on no budget in the original, this film is just a wonder to behold. This, as I say, is Raimi at his best, Campbell at his best and horror comedy at its best. Many people will probably find the horror too gruesome or the comedy too slapstick, but that is the point. Once you start applying reality and logic to the whole film you start to realise how uneven the whole experience is. The best advice is don't think about it. Watch the film as the entertainment that it is. It is supposed to be funny, it is supposed to be over the top and at times it is supposed to scary. The mix of all the elements throughout the film make it one of the best of its genre and I can't think of any film that could compete.

The Blu-ray is a haven for those who are fans of the film featuring a wonderful commentary by Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, co-writer Scott Spiegel and Special Makeup Effects Artist Greg Nicotero. This is full of great stories about how the film was made and like a lot of commentaries it is almost like you are eavesdropping on a group of good friends just having a chat. There are three exclusive new featurettes Swallowed Souls: The Making of Evil Dead 2 is an indepth look into how the production was made and when you see all the hard work and effort that went into some of the scenes you will appreciate it even more. Cabin Fever is a look behind the scenes of the making of the film and along with the other archival 'making ofs' this will fill in almost every secret in the creation of this masterpiece. If you wanted to know how they did anything in this film then these will reveal it. The final new featurette is Road to Wadesboro, a revisit to the locations where the film was made.

The Evil Dead 2 is one of the best horror comedies of all time and certainly one of the best films made in either genre. Anyone who thinks that you need CGI to create a convincing special effect needs to watch this film and be amazed at what these guys achieved with a low budget, but with a giant imagination. All I can say is this Blu-ray is groovy!