Evil Dead II

 

Groovy.

Of course I had to start with that iconic word, uttered by an iconic antihero in an iconic cultflick from an iconic director.

Yes, I love this one. How could you tell?

After the intense low budget horror that was the first 'Evil Dead', Sam Raimi returned with a bigger budget and a different look on the material. This is sort of a sequel/reimagining, but this time you get an insane rollercoaster that is immensely quotable (but perhaps not as quotable as the third installment in the series). 

Ash and his girlfriend Linda head out to a remote cabin for a romantic weekend, but when they discover a taperecorder they soon find out that something dark and twisted lurks in the woods. By playing said recorder, an ancient demon is unleashed that quickly possesses Linda. This forces Ash to kill her. With a spade. 

She doesn't stay dead, though. And now he goes full on total bodily dismemberment with a chainsaw. And this is not the end of our protagonist's hellish adventure. At one point, his right hand becomes possessed as well and he has to chop it off. 

Now, in the meantime, several other people are heading to the cabin to add to the body count and pretty soon it's an all out brawl between the dark demonic forces and our reluctant hero. Who will emerge victorious? And with most of their own limbs intact? 

This film is an absolute blast from start to finish. The short runtime (barely 85 minutes) means director Raimi wastes little time and gets straight to the insanity. Limbs fly, blood issues forth and madness takes hold, all with inventive camerawork, snappy editing and a lead that is willing to give his all. Make no mistake: this is in every sense Bruce Campbell's film. He is riveting to watch and the amount of hardcore slapstick he puts his body through is awe inspiring. 

The best scene may be the one where he has to fight his own hand. It is absurdly memorable and entertaining and akin to classic Keystone Cops or other such silent slapstick.

Oh, and the blood, guts and entrails flying around? It's perhaps a bit tamer than some might remember, but it is almost poetic. So many great scenes and lines, from the flying eyeball to the 'I'll swallow your soul' to the...

It never lets up, not for one second.

Even if you might not feel inclined to enjoy gory stuff, this is one of those films you have to have seen at least once. And then again. And again.