Evil Dead 2
Evil Dead 2
So, should I dare review a cult classic of modern cinema and possibly exile myself to the land of fandom rather than criticism-dom? Well, the second half of that sentence is just silly, and the first part is what I'm doing.
Evil Dead is a genre within itself, combining slap stick with horror. From the mind of the guy who's on the map now with some weirdo who shoots snot from his wrists (Sam Raimi), came this opus of Three-Stooges meets Night of the Living Dead. Basically, I would assume that noone could pull of this combination with any good results, but I'd be wrong. Somehow this movie walks the line of satire and sobriety just fast enough to make us laugh and jump at the same time. It results in a spout of laughing-jumping that'd make most people say "whoa, that guy's pretty screwed in the head". But, the weirdo's having so much fun, that he doesn't care.
And, to pull this off, mr Raimi gathered himself a cast of B-movie wannabes who hadn't starred in much before and haven't since, but each provide what's needed. Bruce Campbell's turn as the wide-eyed semi-hero of the movie makes us believe that even though what's happening is wacky to all hell, there's real ground under his feet. Save Sarah Berry (Annie), most everyone else is fodder for the beasts anyway, but they all pull in worthy performances that carry the movie from one chaotic scene to the next.
Oh, the story is about Ash (Campbell) who takes his girlfriend to a remote cabin only to awaken a crazy spirit that was pissed off by an old guy who used to live there. This crazy spirit then proceeds to posses people and cause a rash of incidents too fun and gaudy to spoil here. Soon Ash is joined by a few new souls to torment, but also the daughter of the old guy (Annie) who seems to know how to read the infamous Book of the Dead which might save them all, or damn them to eternal damnation. Sounds like a rip-roaring good time? No?
This movie is hard to describe because it is an actual MOVIE, not a filmed stage play like most of Kevin Smith's movies (or Linklauter's tamer efforts), or an action-is-more-important-than-story Bruckheimer boom-fest. Sure, an epic storyline is secondary to antics in this movie, but sound, and visuals, and characters, and pacing, are all expertly intertwined in an actual MOVIE experience. Watching the scene in the cabin when everything starts making noises, I couldn't help but smile at the complete insanity coursing through the movie's veins, but also smile inwardly at the shear genius of it's execution. From the talking deer head, to the dancing corpse, the visuals take the technique of more-is-better (a contrast with the less-is-more styles of Amenabar and Shyamalan) and for every slow-motion scene you've seen in a romance or an action flick, this movie uses a hyperkinetic camera to film an overactive imagination. The sounds blast from every crevice of the house to form an acoustical gumbo in this feast of a cinema effort.
Even now, it's hard to find anything wrong with the film. Those looking could probably see the mistakes (visible effects pieces, sets), and those caring could probably analyze the plot holes, but this movie doesn't pretend to take itself seriously, so why should we pretend it's a perfect film. None of the problems with the film make it any less enjoyable, so dwelling on them is silly in my book.
This movie is also a wondrous glimpse into an up-and-coming director's bright future. Here he swings the same deft hand the brought future movies like A Simple Plan, a tightly-wound suspense mastery that still leaves a bump in my chest. People with weak stomachs or a dislike of rampant gore should avoid this movie like the plague (it originally got an X for it's blood-soaked runtime), but those who like a horror movie that doesn't take itself too seriously should give it a watch. It's a fine piece of american cinema that should be a beacon for how to define a style and keep with it, no matter the perceived insanity of it all.
Basically, it's lovely little film to escape with on a saturday night. It's not a thinker or a character-piece, but it should satisfy even the most hardcore indie-phile with its sheer audacity, and the most hardcore horror-buff with its gores and scares.
For a simple scale, I give it a 3.5 out of 4.
Evil Dead 2 is available on VHS and DVD. Note: there are a couple versions of the dvd, so make sure you get the anchor bay disk, or a similar one with the great commentary and documentary.
(oh, and the author knows this movie is a sequel, but it effectively rewrites the original Evil Dead and perfects its frenetic style, so my mind kinda overwrites the original with this one)
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