What else can I say about The Evil Dead? For me it was just one of those movies that became an instant favorite after a single viewing, there was nothing to further debate about it, loved it from square one. Evil Dead is also one of the few films to spawn sequels that were equal, and in some aspects surpassing the original. Every one of the three films are classics, and each one is somebody's favorite, proving that this series is indeed a force to be reckoned with.



This review will actually not be based on any of the six DVD versions of the film, because I feel that the only way to truly enjoy the gritty charm of Evil Dead is on a nice worn VHS copy. The movie tells the tale of five young adults who rent out an old cabin in the woods for a weekend. Upon inspecting the cabin, they discover an ancient book bound in human flesh as well as a tape recorder containing the research of the cabin's previous inhabitant. Little did they know that they tape contains an incantation that wakes the spirits of the evil dead, and upon playing it, they do just that. One by one they are possessed by the evil spirits until only the young man Ash remains. He then engages in a fight for survival pitted against the evil dead.



The original Evil Dead is much more straight forward horror than its sequels which incorporated heavy doses of dark comedy. Filled with eerie scenery such as the foggy autumn woods, the dark cellar, and the crude isolated log cabin, the set pieces alone tend to create a very creepy atmosphere. The spirits ability to possess the friends and leave them at will really imposes a feeling of helplessness and succeptibility on the protagonists, and due to this we actually somewhat sympathize for them, a feat that is not commonly achieved in horror films at least nowadays. Add to that buckets of blood and gore, dismemberments with axes, and beheadings with shovels amongst other atrocities, Evil Dead makes for one amazing horror film!



Corny dialogue and an overall raw feel aside, Evil Dead ranks as an all time classic. See this movie at all costs!