“Evil Dead II” (1987), originally titled “Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn,” is the second feature in the “Evil Dead” franchise, which currently consists of six movies, four graphic novels, a ton of comics, a television series and a partridge in a pear tree. It expanded a proof-of-concept short film “Within the Woods” (1978). It was not intended as a reboot to the franchise, but to resume either slightly prior to the end of the first film, “The Evil Dead” (1981), or four years later according to a trailer, but it makes no sense as a sequel and plays like a reboot. When more people arrive at the cabin, will they find a way to banish the evil entity invading their world and themselves? The overall story and mythology are not as well done as the first, but this iteration of Ash (Bruce Campbell) and the overall tone are what many of the old school fans consider characteristic of the franchise with its mix of humor, horror, mayhem and madness.
Cowriter and director Sam Raimi and cowriter Scott Spiegel mostly subtract the subtext that made the first movie so memorable, retain and remix some elements and turn “Evil Dead II” into a more standard horror film with an establishing introduction to explain how academics discovered the Book of the Dead, now called the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, not Naturom Demonto. Instead of five Michigan State University students, a couple, Ash and his girlfriend, Linda (same character name as the first movie, but different actor: Denise Bixler), decide to stay at a cabin in the woods that belongs to someone else. How did Ash find out about the cabin? No idea. The bridge is longer, and the trip to the woods has no peril. It seems like a standard romantic weekend getaway. Linda has more of a sexual relationship with this Ash. The necklace makes a reappearance though it serves a different function. They are not mucking about and getting into mischief. The recording is in the open, and they both decide to play it, so consent is a nonissue unlike the prior version.
This version of Ash is more macho and glibber, but also more vulnerable to the supernatural and losing his mind. This is the Ash that everyone remembers. Was Campbell an influence on Jim Carrey? His solo physical performance is seamless and over the top. Nevertheless, I find it hard to suspend disbelief and turn off my brain because I cannot stop thinking how ridiculous it is and am unable to appreciate the fictional side. I always say that if you are ready for the zombie apocalypse on the first day and start hurting people immediately, there is something wrong with you. This Ash is not as realistic and may visually be reminiscent of a hero from one of those dark romance, fantasy novels.
The scares in “Evil Dead II” scream more zombie, and it is the first time that “Deadite” is used. While the camera work is still impressive when it is shot from the entity’s point of view, the rest of the movie is less visually interesting. The chase scenes in the first act feel as if they inspired Kathryn Bigelow’s “Point Break” (1991) foot chase scene. Possessed Linda’s body and Ash’s predicament with his limbs feels as if they inspired a handful of Tim Burton’s films. Also. it references classic horror movies where a disembodied hand has a mind of its own and has enmity against its original body. Raimi’s gross out factor is nonstop, and the rivalry, mutual destruction seeds of “Send Help” (2026) can be traced to this film. This film is not as scary, and the special effects feel more dated. It is as if Jim Henson started acting uncharacteristically and decided to do the work with the trees. The filmmakers decided to recycle the tree rape scene without the rape, and honestly, it does not work, so they should have completely nixed it. The sound work may actually be better with the sound of the mischievous, skittering hand doing all the heavy lifting.
The mythology is shakier because there is no obvious way to get infected and get possessed, but instead of a single location, there is a separate storyline that drills into what happened to the now named person behind the voice on the recording, Professor Raymond Knowby (John Peakes), complete with a flashback showing the discovery of the book and the professor with his wife, Henrietta (Lou Hancock). In the present, their adult daughter Annie (Sarah Berry, who feels related in spirit and appearance to Julie Bowen), who also researches ancient history, and Associate Professor Ed Getty (Richard Domeier) are heading to the cabin with their latest discovery blissfully unaware of the Knowby family’s dwindling numbers.
The plot of “Evil Dead II” relies heavily on the horror equivalent of a sitcom character’s misunderstandings., which is a plot device that I have always found aggravating, but not a deal breaker. Is someone possessed or evil forever, not at all or temporary? It then leads to people being vulnerable because then they cannot communicate valuable information because of fear and suspicion. There is no human unity against evil, not in one body or a group. While Raimi dials down the gender dynamics, the class dynamics are cranked to a ten when Annie and Ed hire Jake (Dan Hicks) and Bobby Joe (Kassie Wesley DePaiva, who resembles Brooke Shields in her first appearance in the film), two blue collar locals, to take them to the cabin and carry their luggage. The hostility between the factions often falls along academic lines and rejection of education, which retroactively seems prophetic about present day America’s divide.
“Evil Dead II” nakedly aims for a sequel, “Army of Darkness” (1992), and frames Ash as a fulfillment of prophesy. It felt as if it was a horror twist on “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975). It makes the final act’s pacing feel off because the filmmakers are less invested in this movie and laying a foundation for the future. It did initially feel as if Linda was eliminated so Ash could have a new love interest in the second movie, but fortunately that storyline never comes to fruition.
Even though “Evil Dead II” is not one of my faves, it is still notable for solidifying all the insane levels of talent that played a role in the first film. It proves that the mix of personal and professional relationships were not a fluke. Composer Joseph LoDuca, producer Rob Tapert (also known as Mr. Lucy Lawless) and actor Ted Raimi, Sam’s baby brother who did stunts in the first film, all return. The weird genre pastiche of this franchise would later be reflected in the television series “Xena: The Warrior Princess,” which is the stylistic choice that makes this film noteworthy.
A lot of people prefer “Evil Dead II” over the original (not me). If you are new to the game, it may be more helpful to think of them as two separate films to appreciate Raimi’s work with the arc bending towards his love of physical humor akin to “The Three Stooges.”
