Evil Dead 2 (1987)

Sam, do you want to lean into the horror or lean into the humor?... Yes! This go-round is a bit more focused than the first film. It resets how Ash got to that point in the story then picks it up with the last shot of the first movie. It leans a lot more into a Three Stooges-style slapstick humor. On the same token, they definitely upped the fake blood budget. It was like the Kid’s Choice Awards but with a red goo rather than green. The backstory for the Book of the Dead was expanded and actually shows more of what the book contains. The whole movie felt more polished but still had the Raimi-isms going full force. It’s clear they had more of a plan, while also allowing Bruce Campbell to go as off the rails as he wanted. This is a fun movie that grew the story and lore while setting up at least one more movie. As with all evil things, they will continue even after they are expelled from the world. It’s made to where you can pick up here or start off with the first movie. The ball is in your court, but these are cult classics for a reason.

Story - 17%

Characters - 18%

Pacing - 16%

Spectacle - 20%

Entertainment - 18%

Total score: 89%

Grade scale:

90%-100% = must watch

80%-89% = solid, but could be better

70%-79% = Not terrible, watch if the characters or story interests you

60%-69% = only watch for completionist reasons

0%-59% = just skip it, I find the positives and they don't exist here