The Evil Dead remains the stronger film... but this sequel/remake is something of a masterpiece unto itself.
Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:42
Fresh:41
Rotten:1
Average Rating:7.9/10
Consensus: Evil Dead 2's increased special effects and slapstick-gore makes it as good -- if not better -- than the original.
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
US Box Office: $0
Synopsis: In this sequel-remake of the original EVIL DEAD, a group of people are trapped in a cabin while ancient evil lurks outside and threatens a fate worse than death. Can brawny wiseguy Ash save the... In this sequel-remake of the original EVIL DEAD, a group of people are trapped in a cabin while ancient evil lurks outside and threatens a fate worse than death. Can brawny wiseguy Ash save the day, or will his dead girlfriend come back to cause more trouble? An influential comic horror movie from director Raimi. [More]
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley
Starring: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley, Richard Domeier
Director: Sam Raimi
Director: Sam Raimi
Composer: Joseph LoDuca
Screenwriter: Sam Raimi, Scott Spiegel
Producer: Rob Tapert
Reviews for Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn
The gaudily gory, virtuoso, hyper-kinetic horror sequel/remake uses every trick in the cinematic book, and confirms that Bruce Campbell and Raimi are gods.
The best in the series and one of the top horror movies of the 1980s.
Good acting would not have served the material well, since it would have diluted the comedy quotient and made the campy elements seem cheap and cheesy.
Maximum visceral impact is what this film is all about -- and it delivers.
A flashy good-natured display of special effects and scare tactics so extreme they can only be taken for laughs.
The pop-up humor and smirkiness suggest Raimi's aspiring to the fashionable company of the brothers Coen, though on the basis of this strained effort I'd say he's overshot the mark.
Best slapstick seen in a horror flick. If Charlie Chaplin were alive today and into terror, he'd be directing this movie. Okay, maybe not -- but at least he wouldn't be dead.
Evil Dead 2 is a grade-A masterpiece of morbid mayhem. Find me a horror geek who doesn't agree and I'll take a chainsaw to a body part of your choice.
The kegs of jet-propelled blood alone make this an absolute must-see for any fan of the genre... not to mention any self-respecting moviegoer.
Latest News for Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn
October 21, 2008:
Fourth Evil Dead Still on Raimi's Back Burner ![]()
Remember a few months ago, when Sam Raimi hinted that he and his brother Ivan might be sitting down to write a fourth "Evil Dead" movie in August? Well, there still isn't a script. More...
August 15, 2008:
Bruce Campbell Talks Evil Dead 4 ![]()
Sam Raimi's been teasing the press with comments about a possible Evil Dead 4 lately, and Bruce Campbell has joined in, telling MTV "When he's ready, I'm ready." More...
April 17, 2008:
Total Recall: The 20 Greatest Fights Scenes Ever
The long-awaited showdown between Jackie Chan and Jet Li in The Forbidden Kingdom got us thinking; what are the greatest fights ever filmed? We sifted through quite a few... More...
May 05, 2007:
Campbell Open to Evil Dead 4 and Bubba Nosferatu
Even though he's in charge of the massive "Spider-Man" franchise and in the running for films like "The Hobbit," Sam Raimi always says he wants to make... More...
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