Evil Dead Rise is streaming on Max right now, so I decided to revisit the entire series. This is a series that I love, but I don’t know exactly what I want from it. As you’ll see with the rankings, I dig both the horror and comedic elements, but other elements factor into my overall enjoyment. One thing is for sure, nothing will ever top the Rami/Campbell entries. The two newer entries are both solid, but due to nostalgia or whatever, there’s nothing there that can touch what Raimi and Campbell did with the original trilogy. But here’s my ranking anyway.
1. The Evil Dead
This is the most straight-up horror entry that Raimi made, and it always surprises me how much more I like this one compared to the more comedic films. I consider myself mainly a fan of the series for Campbell’s goofy performance in the second and third film, so this one, in which he’s only funny because he’s so cowardly, surprises me every time I watch it. I chalk it up to the low budget aesthetics of it all. I love the slow drive up to the best cabin in cinematic horror history. When it comes to horror, a lower budget always works for me. It just makes it all feel that much more real. Raimi is still doing amazing things with the camera and special effects despite the low budget, but it all feels real. And that’s what keeps this at the top of my list after every rewatch. Much like the characters stumbling across the Necronomicon, this film at times feels like found footage, which is what sets it apart for me.
2. Army of Darkness
This was the first film in the series I watched years ago, which is probably why I like goofy Ash so much. It’s crazy that this film went from a cabin in the woods to Medieval times, but the film went from horror to straight up slapstick comedy, so why not? Bruce Campbell is at his career best here, and it really sucks that this is the end of his run in the films (sorry, but I just couldn’t get into Ash vs Evil Dead). It would have been great if he and Raimi could have come back every couple of years and sent Ash into a different time period. Oh well. We at least got this wonderful nonsense. I’ll never get tired of hearing “It’s a trick; get an ax,” or seeing a skeleton army storming a castle.
3. Evil Dead II
This should be my favorite entry in the series because it’s the perfect blend of horror and comedy. It’s the bridge that made Army of Darkness possible. But I just like the other two movies a little bit more. That’s it. This is simply about personal preference because if this is about the most solid, well-made film of the original trilogy, then it’s this one, hands down. But when I go to revisit this series, which I tend to do every year, I always watch The Evil Dead and Army of Darkness before I watch this one.
4. Evil Dead Rise
The latest entry in the series is a lot of gory fun, though it’s still too focused on horror for my taste. The laughs here come not from a wise-cracking hero, but from reactions to the gross shit happening throughout (eyeball popping, cheese grater, glass chewing, etc.). There’s plenty to enjoy here, and I like how it mentions three books existing making it possible for another completely separate story to take place. I had a lot of fun with it, but it’s lacking two things that keep it from being great: Sam Raimi directing and Bruce Campbell starring.
5. Evil Dead
This one decided to almost completely cut out the comedy (aside from laughing at how fucking brutal it can get at times) and went hard with the horror. It worked, as this is easily the hardest film in the series to watch (licking the fucking box cutter, anyone?). Because of that, it’s my least favorite. I like revisiting these movies, and I don’t want to watch this one again. That makes it a good horror film, but it also makes it my least favorite Evil Dead movie.
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