#22 - Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
Alright, let’s talk about Evil Dead 2, or as I like to call it, “the real Evil Dead.” Now, I know some of you might be thinking, “But isn’t this a sequel?” Well, kinda, but let’s be honest—it’s basically a remake of the first one. And you know what? It’s way better in almost every way. Evil Dead 2 is the ultimate example of a filmmaker getting a second chance to make the same movie but with more money, more experience, and just going all-out insane.
So, first off, if you’ve seen the first Evil Dead, you know that movie is pretty much a straight-up horror flick. It’s low-budget, it’s gritty, and yeah, it’s good, but it’s missing a certain... something. Enter Evil Dead 2, where Sam Raimi was like, “Okay, we’re doing this again, but this time we’re gonna make it crazy.” And he did. This movie leans hard into the camp, the over-the-top gore, and just the absolute madness that would go on to define the series. It’s not just a horror movie anymore—it’s a horror-comedy, and it nails that balance perfectly. It’s fun, it’s scary, and it’s insanely creative.
Let’s start with Bruce Campbell as Ash because this is where he truly becomes the Ash we all know and love. In the first movie, Ash was just a regular guy trying to survive. But here? He’s a total badass, and the reason why is because Evil Dead 2 is where he embraces the physical comedy and insane slapstick. This man spends a good chunk of the movie literally fighting his own hand, and it’s somehow both terrifying and hilarious. Campbell’s performance is what makes this movie work so well. He’s not just a scream king anymore—he’s a full-on action-horror-comedy legend. Groovy.
The gore and effects? Next level. Raimi takes everything he did in the first movie and cranks it up by about 100%. The practical effects are absolutely bonkers. You’ve got blood spraying everywhere, you’ve got stop-motion demons, you’ve got the infamous “laughing room” scene where literally everything in the cabin is taunting Ash—and it’s all just so visually wild. It’s one of the most imaginative horror movies ever made because Raimi doesn’t let a single moment go by without doing something crazy with the camera, the effects, or the pacing. You never get a second to catch your breath, and I love it.
Now, compared to the original, this one knows exactly what it’s trying to be. The Evil Dead was still trying to take itself a little seriously—there was some unintentional camp, but it didn’t embrace it fully. Evil Dead 2, though? It knows it’s ridiculous and just goes for it. The tone is completely over-the-top, but it’s done so well that it never feels cheesy in a bad way. It’s like a live-action cartoon for horror fans, and you can tell that Raimi is just having the time of his life making this movie. There’s an energy here that the first one didn’t quite have, and that’s what makes it so memorable.
And let’s not forget the iconic moments—this movie has so many! The chainsaw hand? That’s here. Ash getting covered in so much blood it’s practically a Looney Tunes gag? Also here. The laughing deer head? Yep. These moments have become part of horror history because they’re just so damn fun to watch. And the fact that they can be funny andterrifying at the same time? That’s not easy to pull off, but Evil Dead 2 does it effortlessly.
Honestly, Evil Dead 2 is Sam Raimi at his absolute best. He took what worked in the original, threw out the stuff that didn’t, and made one of the best horror comedies ever. It’s inventive, it’s chaotic, and it’s just fun from start to finish. If you’re only going to watch one Evil Dead movie, this is the one to go with. It’s basically the first movie, but cranked up with more creativity, better pacing, and a tone that just clicks in a way the original didn’t quite manage. So yeah, Evil Dead 2? It’s the definitive Evil Dead, and it’s so much better than the first.