I have always had somewhat of a soft spot in my heart for the "Evil Dead" franchise. I am not even entirely sure why. I am not a big horror fan but I really enjoy the campy nature of the films, so when I heard they were remaking it, I had reservations. Those reservations were heightened by the film’s trailer which seemed to shift the focus from over the top horror to gore more in line with the “Saw” franchise. So when the film was released, I decided to skip seeing it in theaters and instead wait for the film to be released on Blu-ray. After finally watching the movie, I was glad to have waited for the home video release.
The movie follows the basic premise of the original film with a few twists. Ash is no longer the main character, instead the film follows the journey of Mia as she tries to survive the onslaught of the evil dead. The film is just as gory as the trailer depicts, if not more so. After awhile, it starts to feel a bit routine and it loses it’s shock value as you grow dumb to the gore.
The film is actually a ‘requel’ officially (meaning it acts as a soft reboot and a sort of sequel). These are becoming more popular lately as a way to introduce a brand name to a new audience while still trying to chase that nostalgia money. As far as ‘requels’ go, it is handled decently.
Much like the original films, the cast is mainly forgettable except for the lead actor, Jane Levy as Mia. While Levy can’t completely escape the shadow cast by original franchise star Bruce Campbell, she still shines and brings humanity to the nightmare the film brings to life. It is also important to note that this is the directorial debut of Fede Álvarez. While I am not a huge fan of his direction of the film, Álvarez makes some unique choices and I think he is someone poised to do something greater down the line.
While I am not the biggest fan of this chapter, I am sad to hear Bruce Campbell has retired from the role of Ash since there were talks of a possible sequel to this film in which Ash and Mia team up. That sounded promising. Perhaps this promise will be explored in a future comic book series.
“Evil Dead” is the kind of movie you watch with friends and see who gets grossed out the most. It is a horror right of passage. Still, I prefer my Evil Dead with some self awareness and humor.
Grade: D
After my first time watching “The Evil Dead”, I really wanted to see what was next in the Evil Dead universe so that brought me to “Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn”. The sequel remains many people’s favorite film in the franchise and I can definitely see why.
“Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn” is an interesting film because it acts as a remake and a sequel. I imagine this was done partly to showcase the increased budget (which was still extremely low). I can’t really think of too many other films ambitious enough to attempt that even to this day. It worked pretty well for this movie since it (along with the first film) had a rather simplistic plot.
The sequel is also interesting because it had a different tone than the first film. While the original film was straight up horror (with some unintentional comedic elements), the sequel has a lighter more comedic tone. At times acting as a parody of horror films while never totally lampooning the genre, “Evil Dead 2” succeeds in delivering something different.
The cast is once again led by survivor Ash, played again by the legendary Bruce Campbell. Campbell seemed more comfortable this time around. This film also allowed Bruce Campbell to showcase his impressive slap stick comedic abilities. The rest of the cast was an improvement over the first film but no other real standouts.
Sam Raimi took great advantage of the fact he had an increased budget. His style was really taking shape by this film. His camera work really helped enhance the film and tell the story. Raimi remains one of my favorite filmmakers to date. Plus, Raimi is from Michigan and set this film here so once again, he gets extra credit in my book.
“Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn” certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. You definitely have to be in the mood for an over the top horror film. When you have that craving though, “Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn” certainly hits the spot.
Grade: B+
I remember going to my local video store as a kid and passing through the horror section with curiosity. It was a useless voyage however because my parents never allowed me or my siblings to rent something from the horror section. You see, to them, renting from the horror section was a waste of money because all horror movies were “crap”. Yet, I would still travel to the horror section each time, intrigued by the cover art of the films I wasn’t allowed to rent. Well, when I became a teenager, I remembered some of those movies I wasn’t allowed to rent and decided to pick them up myself. The first horror movie I subjected myself to was “The Evil Dead”.
“The Evil Dead” franchise always had some of the most eye catching cover art in the video store. So after catching my attention and finally watching the movie I remember feeling surprised. The movie didn’t exactly scare me, but I still enjoyed it a lot.
The movie was made with a very low budget. It was the first film directed by Sam Raimi and it really showcased his ingenuity behind the lens. He was able to take something that might handicap another filmmaker and turn it into an asset. The best example of this is how Raimi decided to depict the evil in the film. With a shoe string budget, he couldn’t afford to show the approaching evil, so he instead gives us the point of view of the evil which is unnerving and suspenseful all at the same time.
The film itself is fairly simple which works well considering it’s budget. The film is over the top and campy but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deliver on the gore. This is something I do need to stress, this film is not for younger audiences or for people who are sensitive to adult subject matters. It wasn’t rated NC-17 for nothing. Be cautioned, there is also a pretty graphic scene between a woman and a tree (and no, you didn’t read that wrong, an evil tree really does get all Bill Cosby on a lady).
Along with Sam Raimi, the film is also noteworthy for launching the career of fellow Michigan native Bruce Campbell. Campbell has remained a beloved B movie icon and has returned to the role of Ash many times since this film. Out of the entire cast, Campbell always shines the most in his scenes.
So this movie has a special place in my heart for many reasons. I have watched and enjoyed all the sequels and even the remake and I have enjoyed them all (to various degrees). If you like horror movies and aren’t sensitive, this is the film for you.
Grade: B
