Plot

Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell), the sole survivor of “The Evil Dead,” continues his struggle with the forces of the dead (first encountered in Sam Raimi’s directorial debut), together with his girlfriend Linda. The pair discover a mysterious tape recorder and, after pressing “Play”, hear the voice of one Professor Knoby reciting passages from the Necronomicon, or Book of the Dead. The professor’s words invoke a spell that unleashes the spirit of evil dwelling in the forest all around them. The plot thickens as supernatural demons invade the cabin in a blood-splattered quest for human victims. Ash desperately tries to escape his horrific fate by battling the ghastly ghouls, aided by some unexpected visitors. Unfortunately, he discovers that he’s no match for the unspeakable creatures lurking behind every door, and around every corner.

Memorable Lines

Henrietta: I’ll swallow your soul! I’ll swallow your soul! I’ll swallow your soul!
Ash: [aiming a shotgun at Henrietta’s face] Swallow this.

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Ash: [to his freshly sawn-off possessed hand] Here’s your new home.
[Ash places a bucket and a bunch of books on it to trap the hand. The title of the top book: “A Farewell to Arms”]

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Professor Raymond Knowby: Recite the passages… dispel the evil… save my soul… and your own minds!

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Ash: [talking to mirror] I’m fine… I’m fine…
[Mirror Ash jumps out of the mirror and grabs Ash]
Mirror Ash: I don’t think so. We just cut up our girlfriend with a chainsaw. Does that sound “fine”?

****

Bobbie Joe: You’re holding my hand too tight.
Jake: Baby, I ain’t holding your hand!

****

Thoughts from the HauntedHouses.com team

Despite the fact that Sam Raimi is now a “proper” director making summer blockbusters, it’s heartening to see the frenzied style he made his name with. While Evil Dead II is without question a complete repeat of the original, groundbreaking Evil Dead in terms of basic narrative and content, it’s still worth seeing, owing to Raimi’s skill as a director and writer.

Contemporary horror fans may find it a little tame by modern standards, but fans of a certain age may still find it scary and gory enough, especially considering it was made almost 20 years ago on a budget that would barely get you an A-list star today. Evil Dead II is also full of dark humour and comic moments that make it more entertaining than any B-movie gorefest has a right to be. But let’s not lose sight of the most important thing: the success of this film and indeed the whole trilogy comes down to the presence of two people – –director Sam Raimi and leading man Bruce Campbell. Raimi drives everything with his unique storytelling style, that places the action somewhere between horror and a cartoonish exuberance. Raimi uses great camera work, frantic editing, and a flair for the unreal to make his movies.

Campbell’s cult status has only been helped recently by Bubba Ho-tep, but this is where it all began and ED II is where Ash become more of a hero than he was in the first film. He still has a fearful aspect to him, but it’s been combined with a zest for fighting back and an arsenal of verbal chutzpah that earns him a whole new level of cultural status. As before his performance and Raimi’s direction are things of beauty that go hand in hand — and we can totally understand why the two of them have kept their close relationship decades later. –Of course we mustn’t forget the supporting work from Berry, Hicks, DePaiva, Domeier and Bixler to round things out.

Evil Dead II is a gory, cheap, down-and-dirty horror flick that won’t appeal to everyone, but to those who get it, it’s hugely enjoyable and laugh-out-loud funny. Director Raimi and star Campbell make the whole thing work better than the material deserves to and, on the basis of any of the three films, it’s no wonder that audiences continue to be so loyal to it.

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