The Evil Dead (1981) User Reviews

This film probably used more blood than all the "Living Dead" movies put together!!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 20 November 2021]

"The Evil Dead" is not at all the sort of film I normally watch. However, it's a historically important one, as it gave director Sam Raimi and actor Bruce Campbell their big break...and is a great example of a super-cheap film that earned back a fortune for the filmmakers. In many ways, this early feature by Raimi reminds me of George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" (the 1968 version) and Peter Jackson's "Bad Taste" as they, too, were early films of these directors and earned a fortune...catapulting these men to A-level films.

The plot here isn't exactly deep. Five young people go off to a cabin in the woods. They find a tape recorder and play it...only to have a professor on the tape blurt out an incantation from a book he found...and the incantation brought out the evil dead who soon began invading the bodies of these folks. For some odd reason, Ash (Campbell) is spared and the final portion of the film is a total bloodbath as he is forced to violently dismember his friends in order to avoid being killed by these not demonic beings.

While the gore level is off the charts in this film, it's so ridiculously over the top and fake looking that it is worth seeing. Had they had a better budget, no doubt the gore could have looked much more realistic...and the film would have turned me off completely! As it is, it's somewhat comical because it's so ridiculous. Not a great film but for its budget, an amazing picture...one all budding filmmakers should see.

My teenage self would have loved it. I didn't.

[allyatherton · 6/10 · 15 February 2016]

A group of friends spend the night in a cabin in the mountains

and it doesn't go well.

Starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker and Theresa Tilly.

Written and directed by Sam Raimi.

I think my age has a lot to answer for.

I'm guessing that if I'd watched this as a teenager I would have loved it or at least enjoyed it more than I did now as an old bloke. It definitely had lots of creepy moments and funny moments.

But from an old gits perspective I was actually a little bored watching this. I suppose when it was first released this movie would have been cutting edge and the ultimate horror flick. But I got that bored feeling in my stomach that I get when I'm reading a really boring book that I can't wait to finish so I can start the next one. It was all so repetitive. One demon possessed person attacks and then another and then another and then another. there was nothing new here and it's all been done before.

The acting was okay but a bit hammy and the special effects ( although probably brilliant in 1981) showed their age.

I'm giving it a 6/10 but my teenage self would have given it much more.

Marvelously putrid.

[Manthorpe · 10/10 · 16 August 2004]

What more can be said of Raimi's legendary cult-classic that hasn't already been beaten to death like a puss-oozing zombie that crosses paths with Ash? Possibly nothing, but I'll try.

Before Spiderman and before the countless spin-offs of this movie were made or even conceived, Raimi and friends decided to make a low budget zombie flick mainly for fun, and surprisingly it has become a masterpiece of shock and horror. Possibly a perfect example of how to make an entertaining film on a shoe-string budget, The Evil Dead delivers what it promises, the ultimate in grueling horror. Even with it's mild budget and sometimes shaky acting, TED shocks and spooks the audience through chilling atmosphere and some of the most violent effects ever put on film. Those who are squeamish need not apply. As a matter of fact, just run for your girly life.

There are several reasons this film succeeds. First, Raimi's camera work is truly masterful. By using fast camera work and aggressive shots, Raimi has created an eerie world that is sometimes hard to look at but too entertaining to turn away from. His style from behind the camera is absolutely unmistakable. This is perfectly exemplified in the beginning of the film, where the camera alone creates enough atmosphere to leave you biting your nails in suspense of what's to come. You feel at any moment someone is going to get their neck chomped on by some zombie hiding just out of view. One of the most impressive openings I can think of, perfection in pacing and atmosphere. It gets even better once the action starts. Some shots hold for a seeming eternity, and part of you wishes for it to stop for it's unrestrained gore and violence...but the other part of you is getting a sick kick out of it. One of the most impressive shots is where the darkness from the trees begins to chase people, knocking any tree or obstacle down that happens to be in it's way. Truly magnificent technique, however they did it.

TED also succeeds because it's self-aware of the fact that it's a simple zombie movie and never takes itself too seriously, and doesn't expect the audience to do so either. It's meant to be campy, cheesy, revolting and chilling at the same time. There are moments in the film where it seems to be making fun of itself and the genre in general. For this fact alone, one cannot hold certain things against it such as sometimes questionable acting from the supporting cast and sometimes the downright implausibility of certain situations. If you can accept this and you're not put off by mannequin ultra-violence, then you should find yourself on the supporter's side of the fence. I think some don't like it because it can be ridiculous and cheesy in parts, although it was meant to be. Even with the fact that it's sometimes cheesy, there are some downright chilling moments in this film that most horror films nowadays cannot begin to muster. Case in point, the zombie screaming from the cellar door. The zombie growls and howls themselves are enough to send shivers up one's spine. And let's not forget the unforgettable tree love scene, ridiculous and hilarious simultaneously.

Last but certainly not least: Bruce Campbell as Ash, the badass of all zombie films. Campbell is Ash, period, and always will be.

In my opinion, this is by far the best of the trilogy, and although there could have been more of the chainsaw, this is the definitive zombie film and probably always will be. I feel it succeeds over it's sequels due to it's increased violence and lack of humor in comparison. It's blood, gore, camera work, and shock factor are still formidable even today and are what make this such a cult classic. If you've ever liked any horror film, this is an absolute must-see.

Love or hate it, there it is.

You don't need a big budget to make an accomplished film

[ametaphysicalshark · 11 May 2007]

Sam Raimi's feature length debut "The Evil Dead" is truly one of the greatest horror films of all time and the start of a magnificently entertaining trilogy of hilarity and some real scares. Made on a budget of only $375,000, the film is surprisingly accomplished on a technical level. The effects, although they do look fake by today's standards, hold up a lot better than you might have expected, and the stop motion sequence at the end, which looks a lot faker than anything else in the movie, was accomplished for its time and budget.

"The Evil Dead" is about a group of young adults who travel to a cabin in the woods and discover a 'book of the dead'. No prizes for guessing what happens next as each character is possessed (except for Ash) and disposed of via an intriguing variety of methods. Considering its budget, unknown director (at the time), and typical slasher plot "The Evil Dead" would almost certainly seem headed towards forgotten B-movie status, and yet it has stood the test of time and remains one of the most widely acclaimed horror films of all time. Why? It's simple. Although "The Evil Dead" is nowhere near as funny as its sequels, it's still a humorous self-satire while also being terrifying despite its age. This odd combination (only perfected in this film's sequels and "Creepshow") works because Raimi crafts a tense and moody environment, puts his characters in there, and then ruthlessly disposes of them, sometimes doing so several times for the same character. What's worse is that there's nowhere to go. Raimi creates a claustrophobic feeling in anyone watching, he wants you to think about being in a situation where you're trapped with nothing but death and destruction surrounding you. For most people, he probably succeeds. As far as acting goes, none of it is really very good but Bruce Campbell is instantly likable as Ash, who just has to be one of the most memorable horror film characters of all time.

Gory, desolate, hopeless, and still funny, "The Evil Dead" is a horror masterpiece that isn't quite the strongest entry in the series, but is shockingly accomplished and entertaining despite its low budget and inexperienced cast and crew. This is a film everyone must see, along with its sequels.

9/10

The ultimate in terror

[baumer · 10/10 · 10 July 1999]

It's the early 80's, what do you expect? This is a scary scary film. And I think I know why films now a days can't hold a candle to films like Halloween and Evil Dead. And that is because a photo copy is never as good as the original. That is the bottom line. Directors don't care about a lot of the material that they are filming today, especially when it comes to horror films and that is because they don't write their own stories. They do someone elses work. But not Evil Dead. This was Raimi's baby from the outset. When films like the two mentioned were filmed they were filmed by two directors that were complete unknowns. They had no pressure to make a great film and they did it on an incredibly low budget. Halloween was made for $150,000 and Evil Dead for $50 000. So what that meant is that the directors could stick to their visions but they had to find innovative ways to do so. Their budgets didn't allow a heap of special effects so they had to rely on what they knew. And that was, how to create atmosphere using the camera. And Evil Dead is one of the best at doing that. There is one scene in this film that I will never forget and that is one of the early scenes where the cast arrives at the cabin. Here we see a long shot of the cabin and it has very eerie music playing. This shows the cabin as being menacing. It lets you know that there is evil in that cabin. And that we are in for a hell of a ride.

Sam Raimi made a masterpiece here that I believe stands the test of time. You can put this film up against any of today's so called horror films and I guarantee you this scares you more. Raimi cares about his movie and he does everything to make you feel the terror that the cabin people feel. We are scared and disgusted at what happens when one of the women goes outside alone at night and meets a tree that does unspeakable things. And when the book is first introduced.... that is horror movie history there. What a brilliant concept. A book that is evil. I have often wondered about such books. We hear about them all the time in movies about ancient Egypt and ancient times. But here we have a book that has weird incantations from another world and another language, and you just know that as soon as some idiot utters the words that they are not supposed to say, well they won't be around much longer.

The Evil Dead is a miracle. It was made on a rock bottom budget yet it is scarier than any Hollywood movie that is made for 20 million could ever hope to be. If you want to truly experience a frightening experience, rent this film, it knows what it wants to say. And it knows how to make you afraid. So be afraid. Be very afraid. You may never look at the forest the same again.

The whole thing is a tad overrated, but this is still an atmospheric creeper

[crystallogic · 7/10 · 8 December 2018]

I'm sure by this point nobody cares what somebody like me has to say about this movie, or indeed, this *franchise*, but I'll do it anyway. I saw the next two instalments (the remake given the name Dead by Dawn and the loose sequel), and I was glad to finally come to this one. I thought all three movies were somewhat entertaining, but also given an undue amount of cultural weight. This is my favourite of the bunch because it really does contain a weird, morbid atmosphere, and is not played for laughs.

Those only familiar with the other films (and I think there are a surprising lot of you) might be surprised at how hard Sam Reimy works to create an atmosphere of genuine dread and hopelessness. It works well, up to a point. The problem is that the characters are non-entities except for Ash, and the story feels like it was written by a nine-year-old. Of course, we are all only really in this for the mayhem, and it does start pretty quickly. I like how this movie really pushes the case for the environment itself being malefic; that it's not just the playing of a tape waking the dead (or demons as the case may be), but the entire woodland they are in being riddled with evil and malignant spiritualities. It added an unexpected almost folk-horror element to proceedings, even though it was rather understated. Not much dialogue of interest in the film at all, so really not a lot to think about.

The demons seem to be able to possess whomever they want, whenever they want, so the rules of the world are nebulous and don't seem to make sense. Why'd they go back to sleep after the professor made the tape and spoke the incantations? Look, I'm fine with ambiguity in horror; in fact it's largely preferred to having everything explained, but here it just seemed like none of that stuff really mattered, and that's a bit iinsulting.

But hey, this is a really well-made movie with some nice quirks that was created by people who clearly really enjoyed what they were doing. Everyone plays it up to the hilt and I appreciate that. It's a lot creepier than the other instalments and does contain one or two genuinely disturbing scenes involving trees. it's also just over 80 minutes long, so the time will fly by. JOIN US!

A movie everyone should respect !

[Coventry · 10/10 · 10 September 2003]

A few nights ago, a couple of friends and myself watched The Evil Dead again. It was like the 68th viewing for me ( I think...lost count somewhere around 50) but it still only means one thing to me: PARTY !! Many feeling can occur when watching this delicious masterpiece by Sam Raimi. You can either adore it, be frightened by it or be disgusted by it. But it always leaves a big impression on you and I can't imagine anyone would hate it.

And there is ONE feeling that everyone should have towards this movie...RESPECT ! Mostly respect regarding the achievement of Sam Raimi. This guy was 21 years old when he made this film and that's impressive to say the least. I'm around that age at the moment and I sure as hell haven't pulled it off yet...I strongly doubt I ever will, actually. No, when you're able to come up with such an original and dared idea for a horror film, you belong to the greatest minds in the film industry. Sam Raimi did it and his further career only confirmed his status of being a genius with every single movie he directed afterwards. Tons of respect towards Bruce Campbell as well. Sure his performance in this movie is far from great, but at the time, he did it because of his friendship with Sam Raimi. And because The Evil Dead became a big hit, his career was launched too and he certainly grew as an actor. Bruce Campbell is now in the favorite actor-list of many B-movie fans...And I'm one of them.

Then there's Tom Sullivan...responsible for the make-up. What a fine job he did. The Evil Dead gave a whole new meaning to the word "gore" and we have this man to thank for that. Most nowadays horror films still can't live up to the standard of Evil Dead...not even close.

The plot of this film is as simple as can be...but it works. Five friends drive to a small cabin in the woods to spend a small vacation. They find a tape recorder with a message...Out of curiosity, they play it and pure evil is rised in the woods. One by one, they become possessed and turn into horrible demons who try to kill those who're still alive...That's it !!! And that's all there is needed to create a fun and very original horror movie. The same story already came out in 1978 as a short film called "Within the Woods". It was meant to fund money for this film and it's great B-movie fun as well. If you're a big fan of The Evil Dead trilogy, it's certainly worth searching for.

Anno 2003, Sam Raimi has grown out to one of Hollywood's favorite directors. He became immortal in the eyes of the big budget audience with his movie Spiderman. The sequel of that one is in production while I write this. I'm sure it will be as decent as the first Spiderman was, but I'd still prefer to see Evil Dead 4 coming from the brain of Sam Raimi.

A fun trivia element to finish this review with : If you're watching the end credits of the Evil Dead, you'll see Joel Coen is credited as Assistent Editor. Coen now is a famous director as well and may be considered as the best director alive. Back in 1981, he and Sam Raimi were close friends and even shared a studio when they were in collage. Joel Coen made his debut in 1984 with Blood Simple. One of the best cult movies ever made...

Join us....

A Horrific Masterpiece

[caspian1978 · 7/10 · 13 January 2005]

Sam Raimi proved to the world that he could not only direct a movie but that he could create a product that was not only original but that could scare the hell out of you. Since the 1981 release, Bruce Campbell has found work on many film projects due to his break out performance in the Evil Dead. Raimi, has gone on to direct many films. Both have earned much of their career based on this little horror movie, that has been re-produced / recycled by thousands of "wanna-be" film makers world wide. This is not your typical "zombie" film, let alone your garden variety horror movie as well. The Evil Dead is one of those black comedies / horror movies that overwhelms the audience to either be scared out of their wits or won over by the movie's story and over the top characters. The Evil Dead is what most, if not all horror movies should be, very real and powerful.

A marvel what some college film students can do on a shoestring budget

[KUAlum26 · 9/10 · 31 October 2009]

SPOILER(S) POSSIBLE

The first ever full-on film project by budding filmmakers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert(then called Bobby Tapert)would prove to be a work of endurance and love and also one of the more entertaining horror films made in the eighties.

The plot is painfully simple: Five young adults from Michigan drive off into the woods for a camping vacation,using a seldom-used cabin as their haunt. They uncover a tape recorder and a crusty,dusty and blood-and-flesh-coated "Book of the Dead" or "Necromonicon",inadvertently incant the chant that awakes a limitless supply of malevolent spirits in the woods,and then one by one get picked off until a lone survivor is left to fight to escape. The story isn't much of an accomplishment:it's the whole physical undertaking that's the real accomplishment.

On a small budget that was probably getting smaller as the shoot continued(I don't know the exact amount of time of filming,but it probably lasted at least a year),the filmmakers and stars(all of 'em,most famously budding star Bruce Campbell as the conflicted but can-do Ash)had to make the most of a limited set,claustrophobic settings,gallons of viscous fluids,endless supplies of cakey make-up,a limited amount of lighting(probably NOT an accident,there) and probably a mass-produced amount of fog to create something that has both the feel of a creepily eerie film about the undead and yet had the effects to back up the type of slasher horror pic that the producers were aiming for.

The first of an intriguing trio of horror/comedy films that Raimi,Tapert,Campbell and company would crank out over a period of just under fifteen years(and,after seeing this film in full,I'm not sure if anyone involved originally intended to make any sequels),the atmosphere and noticeably cheap effects may turn-off your pickier horror film snobs,but anyone with a sense of adventure and high tolerance for gore will be reasonably pleased--if not greatly impressed--by this first effort film. A keeper,not a renter,not only for repeated viewing but also for the extras.

lower expectations make for greater enjoyment

[Zod-2 · 7/10 · 28 September 2003]

With 365 other reviews at the time of this writing I find it hard to believe that I have anything new to add but here goes.

No movie is ever going to be liked by everybody but I think the fact that The Evil Dead gets so much positive hype from its fans that fewer people in the future will enjoy it. Hype brings with it a twisted like/hate ratio. A movie with lots of positive hype will receive fewer positive critiques from future viewers and vice versa, negative will bring more positive critiques.

With that said I admire what The Evil Dead brings to horror. When I first watched this movie as a teen it and it's sequel scared the hell out of me. It didn't help that I watched it in my basement alone but that's part of the fun of horror movies. I watched The Evil Dead again last night and it still packed a punch for me. Of course not nearly as much as it did 15 years ago but I still found it enjoyable.

The Evil Dead is an uneven movie but that is to be expected being made on such a meager budget. But it does have enough suspense, shocks and creepiness to it that The Evil Dead can actually claim to be a horror movie. A lot of nay-sayers of The Evil Dead say it's a "stupid" movie, which in and of itself is a brilliant critique don't you think? I for one think it's anything but. Unlike many horror films it has a story which is easy to follow and for the most part fair to the viewer.

Given that The Evil Dead was made for somewhere around $350,000 many of the aspects of the movie are remarkable. The special effects are nicely done even if at times obvious. Sam Raimi's camera work makes otherwise dull moments interesting to watch for the viewer. Raimi knows his way around a dollar and in The Evil Dead he gets everything he can out of every cent he spends.

So if you are looking for a good horror film, The Evil Dead is a perfect choice, if viewed in the right frame of mind. Just remember, it was made on a very small budget, it was made by a first time writer/director and amateur actors. With this in mind you should have yourself a good time watching The Evil Dead. The Evil Dead rates a 7 out of 10.

"Join us!" "The Evil Dead" is gruesome fun!

[eytand94 · 10/10 · 20 August 2009]

Before "Spider-Man," Sam Raimi started off as the director of the classic fright film "The Evil Dead," which, to this day, is one of the hippest horror films ever.

Ash, his girlfriend Linda, his sister Cheryl, and his friends Scott and Shelly head out to an isolated cabin in the woods for some fun. But right from the beginning, strange things happen. Cheryl hears voices howling "Join us!" And then, Ash and Scott find a recording of a ritual from a book called The Book of the Dead. Too bad for them, because that ritual releases soul-hungry demons who possess everybody in the cabin. The only way to stop the demons is through the act of bodily dismemberment, and it's up to Ash to return the demons to their resting place. However, it's not gonna be easy.

"The Evil Dead" can be very scary, but it's mostly great fun to watch due to its shameless amount of gore. This movie goes so over the top, it sort of becomes comic, and I dig that.

Bruce Campbell has created such an icon out of Ash, a character who has lasted through 3 films. Campbell is a master. The other cast is very good with Ellen Sandweiss as Cheryl, Hal Delrich as Scott, Betsy Baker as Linda and Sarah York as Shelly.

"The Evil Dead" is a movie done with so much love for the genre, and a movie like that only comes once in a while. Hilariously gory, well-acted, and great fun to watch on a nice Halloween night, a horror movie like this doesn't get any better. A classic!

****

Fast pace,creepy,dark and well developed first film by Sam Raimi

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 8 January 2007]

This frightening,strikingly designed horror movie that has became a cult favorite thanks to its unstopped terror deals about a group of five friends go into at mountain cabin and they find the book of the dead,the¨ Necronomicon¨, then begin a possession demoniac and they undergo an eerie transformation at night and going on a murderous rampage.The main starring(Bruce Campbell)who get drawn into a web of evil and is beset by horrible demons.

This lack budget film contains tension,terror,shocks and lots of blood,slime and guts.The movie is blending from ¨Night of the living dead¨with a creepy creatures submitted a fantastic possession has transformed into flesh eating,from Dario Argento's ¨Suspiria¨ spectres, and of course the ¨Exorcist¨ ,besides the death of possessed bears absolutely resemblance to Terence Fisher's ¨Dracula¨.Highly adequate make up and special with effective monsters.It must be stated that this is one of the grossest,disgusting and most brutally unnerving movies in the story.This independently produced gem features sets and production standards usually found in Z grade movies but is skillfully narrated and results to be an exciting horror film.Followed by two inferior sequels: ¨¨Evil dead ¨2 ,¨Army of darkness ¨ with similar actor(Bruce Campbell),producer(Robert Tapert by Renaissance pictures),musician(Joseph LoDuca) and well directed by Sam Raimi.A minor classic providing chills and grisly horror and isn't apt for squeamish neither feeble stomachs.Well worth watching for terror and gore lovers.

Scary back then, unnerving today

[adamonIMDb · 5/10 · 7 August 2017]

'The Evil Dead' has a reputation for being a cult classic but, like many older horror films, it certainly doesn't have the same impact today as it would have done at the time of release. Sure, there are some moments that make you jump, but the general horror elements are really quite tame compared to the modern horror.

That said, the film does have its moments. There are a few scenes that are successfully unnerving, even with such dated special effects. The absence of any real story probably works to the film's advantage, with the focus being on unleashing as much terror on the innocent group as possible.

'The Evil Dead' isn't as effective today as it probably was in the 80s but is still as successfully unnerving horror film.

Interestingly good...

[yucel81x · 5 February 2001]

For a film that was made on a budget that would make Steven Spielberg die laughing, "Evil Dead" was one for the most interesting pieces of horror cinema I've ever seen. I watched the series backwards, so "Army of Darkness" was the film I saw first, then "Evil Dead II." While "Evil Dead II" is probably still my favorite, it was interesting to see where it all started.

The camera work is incredibly good, and the fast motion sequences showing the demon's approach was pretty well done, if not completely original. Though also interesting, and kinda funny to note is that we see the characters running away, but when the camera switches away from the demon's view, we don't see the demon, and that seems like a touch of genius...we know it's there, but we can't see it, and while it probably was a limitation of the budget, it actually proved to be a great method of suspense.

The special effects are as laughable as they were in the rest of the series, but there's something to be said for a film that takes its chances and goes to the extreme in lieu of lacking resources. People complain about this a lot, but I have to say to them "get a sense of humor." The whole point of the "Evil Dead" series was to mock horror films and show how campy they were and that they could get even worse. It's humor is in that the film tries to take itself seriously, but the lack of a big budget makes this not only impossible, but even funny in spite of the fact that it could conceivable be a serious film.

The acting is also terrible, but again in that way that it's so obviously bad that it's hard to tell were the actors just plain bad or were they doing that deliberately to serve the purpose of mocking the genre. Bruce Campbell's introduction into the world of abused heroes is interesting since his character is actually less of a chauvinist in this one than he ultimately became famous for. But it works, and the horror on his face when his friend has no reservations about chopping up his possessed girlfriend is actually believable.

Overall, this movie is a great piece of cinema. It's humorous, but serious as well, and its greatest strength is its ability to draw the line between being part of the genre and mocking it. There are plenty of moments of original horror (I don't think anybody could keep their composure during the "Tree Rape" scene, which they repeated to lesser effect in "Evil Dead II," but let's face it that movie was supposed to be a rehash and extension). Give the film a chance and don't take it too seriously. Otherwise you're missing the point.

The Evil are very gory when they are Dead

[dr_mario_rules · 10/10 · 6 January 2008]

Sam Rami gives us a gory good time in his first, feature-length film.

Cult-favorite Bruce Campbell gives the performance of his career as Ash Williams, also starring are Ellen Sandweiss, who plays the best deadite, as Sheryl. To round out the cast are Hal Delrich playing Scott, Theresa Tilly playing Shelly, and Betsy Baker as Linda, Ash's girlfriend.

These five teens go to a cabin for a weekend getaway that Scott bought cheap (Gee, I wonder why?) But while exploring the cabin's basement with Ash, they find three objects, a shotgun, a tape recorder, and an ancient book bound in flesh and written in blood. Yeah, that's a good sign. Well, in true dumb teen fashion, they play the tape, which makes something evil come from the woods. Later that day Cheryl decides to check something outside, she thought she saw. But when the trees rape her. Yes, rape, I know. The evil manifests in her, and she becomes a deadite, now Ash must fight off his friends and sister who are becoming deadites, one by one.

I must give this film a ten because it has a great premise. Great gore. Great special effects. Great everything. Best horror movie ever made!

Great movie, even if gruesome at times

[swinger_s87 · 10/10 · 10 November 2002]

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, although it got quite disturbing at times. Probably the most gruesome movie I have ever seen, but it is well worth it. Sam Raimi's directing style is so unique that it feels entirely different than other horror movies. I would reccomend this movie to people with a strong stomach, or people who like violent movies. If you are unsure,(don't worry about it) watch Evil Dead II first to make sure you can handle the gore, and if you can, sit back and enjoy the best horror film ever.

This is still an intense and powerful movie.

[philip_vanderveken · 7/10 · 1 April 2005]

Today we have an enormous revival of the horror genre. I guess there isn't a month in which no new horror production is released. Even though this genre seems to many young people as something new and exiting, the "older" people (starting with people in their late twenties and early thirties) know better. We grew up with horror classics like 'Halloween', 'The Evil Dead',...

The story starts with the five youngsters driving to a cabin in the middle of nowhere. In this cabin in the middle of the woods, they find the Necronomicon and the taped translation of the text. Of course they are curious and they start playing the tape, not knowing which evil this will release. One by one, the teens become deadly zombies, except for one. Now it will be up to him to survive the night and to battle the evil dead.

Even though I'm not a huge fan of gore, I still appreciated this movie. Especially the beginning of the movie is still very intense and powerful. Most of the time these movies haven't been made with a large budget, but that doesn't mean that they don't offer any good fun. 'The Evil Dead' looks rather amateurish, but that's exactly what makes it more believable and good. It seems like these five young people have filmed their own adventures. The only remark that I could have is the special effects. I know that this movie was shot in 1981 and with a small budget, but the special effects sometimes really look pretty bad. Still, this is a classic in the genre and nice to watch. I give it a 7/10.

Campy, gory and fun

[acedj · 7/10 · 12 November 2019]

I saw this when I was a kid, not sure exactly how old, somewhere in the tween range. Back then special effects were not what they are today, and a movie with such a small budget had even worse special effects that better funded films of the same era. Still, the movie creeped me out back then. As a 40 something adult I enjoy it for many other reasons, not least the camp factor. This movie, the two sequels and the show that were spawned from it are all great entertainment for anyone that enjoys horror.

"Join us"!

[dworldeater · 8/10 · 20 May 2020]

Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead is a very original splatter flick for it's time that would be a great start to a series and very influncial to loads of other filmmakers. Pretty serious in tone, 2 couples rent a cabin in the woods and discover The Necronomicon and awaken The Evil Dead. Very different for its time this gory fright film delivers on both scares and horrific make up f/x. This has very little comedy and moves at a slower pace than the other entries in the series. I must admit, I prefer Evil Dead 2 with more Bruce Campbell, the introduction of splatstick comedy. Evil Dead 2 is pretty much a reimagined version of the 1st film that does everything the 1st film does better. But, that is only my preference and opinion. Having said that, The Evil Dead is still very good and the most pure horror movie of the lot. A classic.

"Lotta Fun, Not Alotta Character"

[blakestachel · 7/10 · 20 October 2021]

Visually very fascinating and what a wildly enjoyable ride it is - the perfect example of practical movie making outclassing the CGI variety - would've liked to have seen a bit more attention to detail when it came to directing talent and constructing characters, however. This film, I would assume, basically wrote the book in terms of genre tropes (specifically character archetypes), but I've always thought that that was too bad. I would have much preferred it, along with many others it inspired, if the characters were just a little more important in the overall scheme of things.

Monster Mash...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 11 September 2022]

We've all taken a few days off with friends to go and explore, have a little bit of an adventure in the wild, be enthralled by natures brilliance and all that it brings, to take in its beauty, relax under the stars, good food and drink and company, a wonderful world all round: but it seems there is a darker side that we could never have imagined, that would make most of us scream and shout, where demonic beasts feast upon us, Hades fiends scrape pus from and into us, where the jaws of hell gape wide and open, where the terrors of the night become quite unspoken, taking your innocence and soul, dragging it down a deep black hole, a cadavers world that comes to life, to cause you unremitting strife, where blood and guts come to the fore, as they spill onto the crimson floor, parts are cut and sheared and shorn, you'll probably wish you'd never have been born - a world before Wi-Fi and CGI!

Fun, Silly, Gory; a True Horror Classic

[Zac_La_Porte · 6/10 · 8 June 2022]

The Evil Dead is a low-budget horror classic packed with ridiculous-looking demons, extreme blood and gore, some decent scariness and just some other terrible elements that result in it gaining respect. This movie is old, violent and ridiculous fun for older teenagers craving for those exact three words. It's definitely not perfect for today's expectations and there's big flaws, but they're all overlooked and this movie is just for entertainment.

To put it clearly, The Evil Dead is completely stupid and purely dumb... but wait, that's not at all a bad thing. The reason this film is a lot of fun to watch is specifically because it seems a bit mindless, which is a result of inferior acting, crazy-laughable demonic possessions and an overall lack of sympathy for the story and characters. The possessed characters look very much like ghouls or zombies, and living up to the stereotypes, the characters make extremely poor decisions.

But for an early 80s movie, Sam Raimi has also achieved receiving one of the highest MPAA adult ratings due to how bloody, gory and violent it is. This film sprays blood and flesh all over the place, making a big mess and wild fun. The Evil Dead kind of feels related to other horror classics involving Leatherface and Jason Voorhees in certain directions, but it's more fun, more violent and better!

If you liked this review, check out the full review and other reviews at aussieboyreviews.

An indisputable horror classic, still as fresh and frightening as the day it was made.

[Infofreak · 8 July 2002]

Sam Raimi is currently getting a lot of attention and acclaim for directing the over-hyped blockbuster 'Spider-Man'. That movie has introduced him to mainstream filmgoers, no bad thing in itself, but to many of us Raimi is already a legend, because he created 'The Evil Dead', without a doubt one of the greatest horror movies of all time. Made on a shoe string budget as a labour of love, it still remains Raimi's best movie. He has subsequently worked on bigger projects with bigger names but it is arguable whether he has ever surpassed the invention, thrills, energy and sheer fun of this. And why Bruce Campbell never became a genuine movie star after his debut here, and not just a much loved cult figure, is a complete mystery to me. 'The Evil Dead' is a modern horror classic and absolutely ESSENTIAL viewing for any self-respecting movie buff! It doesn't get much better than this!

The be all end all of horror movies!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cyberiouse0 · 10/10 · 3 March 2005]

This movie is the movie that started me into horror movies. I had seen horror movies before this but this is what made me a horror fan. if you haven't seen it i give this movie and its sequels my highest recommendation

there is everything in these movies. From disgusting horror, shock horror, spookie horror, and even a bit of humor. The only slight down side may be that it was made very low budget. This is covered over by the greatest actor of all time--------------BRUCE CAMPBELL. He is a great actor in all movies and this is his start. It is also the start of Sam Raimi's directing career. There is great directing, great acting, great fun, inventive camera angles, and even a little bit of nudity if you like that sort of thing. so watch and enjoy.

Quite good but not as great as i'd hoped

[Hannah-Balsom · 7/10 · 4 March 2005]

Being a big horror fan i was really excited at the thought of this film. Up until last year i had never seen it, just seen clips and heard people discuss it in enthused tones. It seemed to be at the top of most horror fans lists. So when i bought a copy on DVD i couldn't wait to get home and watch it. And i did. And to be honest, i wasn't quite as impressed as i thought i'd be. OK, so first off, the film isn't really very scary. I suppose when it was released it would have been as people weren't so much used to that extreme amount of violence and gore. But now it's just really funny.i wrongly thought it was meant to be one of, if not the scariest film ever. Which it's not. Nor does it pretend to be. Don't get me wrong, i enjoyed watching the film but i just wasn't scared which i want to be when watching a horror film, otherwise i don't see the point. Anyway, i can see that the film has acquired over the years a sort of spoof status which is indeed what it looks like at times. The acting is terrible, the script laughable and the plot patchy at best, but i think (or at least i hope) that is how it was intended to be. I admit that i was creeped out a few times and did jump on occasion. So overall, i can appreciate the film for what it was. A funny film with a few scares and a lot of gore. Just not as good as it's meant to be.