Fanboys Anonymous

Back in college I was introduced to The Evil Dead. A couple buddies knew the films well and we watched them, all three, back to back all the time. It seemed like every weekend. I remember watching the second film before I even knew the first one existed. Evil Dead II is simply on another level; it's the first one but with better acting, a larger budget, and a much clearer distinction into comedy. I consider it more of a remake anyway, to be honest, a completely in your face "do-over" than a continuation of the first one's story. It's the same damn story and Bruce Campbell's Ash would have to be the dumbest person alive to go back to the same house and relive the same thing over again. There's plenty of evidence to suggest it is more of a remake than sequel, believe it.

Director Sam Raimi has said the first portion of the second film is meant to be a recap, but he has also stated in interviews that yeah, it pretty much is a remake with a bigger budget. I'm fine with that; hell, James Cameron more or less did that with Terminator 2: Judgment Day. It's the same story but with better special effects.

What I love about the Evil Dead series is the combination of horror and comedy. The simplicity of the situation is also crucial. It's just this guy out there in the woods, fighting demons and trying to stay sane and alive. While the first is an early '80s cheaply made horror film in the same vein as Friday the 13th, the second combines the elements of comedy that would derail the franchise in Army of Darkness, the third installment. I like the film, but they went too far the other way into slapstick and nonsense. It's interesting how each film goes further along the dial from horror to comedy, finding that sweet spot with Part 2. The gore, the humor, the sense of impending doom... it's all there.

Don't get me wrong, I adore Army of Darkness. It's the most re-watchable one of the three for sure and has some great quotes. "Listen up you primitive screwheads." "This is my BOOM STICK!!!" That's poetry, that is. So I love the film but I also like the balance between genres and the simplicity of the first two films.

With the recent announcement of the upcoming Evil Dead TV series by Raimi, there's no telling what direction the franchise will go in. I never saw the reboot/remake from a couple years ago and have no desire to see an Evil Dead film without Bruce Campbell in the lead, sorry. The TV series is set to have him in it but I'll believe it when I see it. Never fear, though, because there is talk of the actual film series getting more entries.

Bruce and Sam have talked for decades about the possibility of a sequel to Army of Darkness. Well, get ready Geekoids of the Internet, because there are rumors of it finally happening. Again, because I've been a fan for so long and heard this before, I will believe it when it happens. There are also plans to do a direct sequel to the 2013 film and then do another film that ties the two timelines together. Wow, that's ambitious.

I'm cautiously optimistic. Of course I want to relive my college days vicariously through a new film, hoping to channel the same feelings of joy and hilarity that I felt 20 years ago (yeah, I'm that old, deal) but I don't know if the boys have it in them. It might be more of a parody of Army of Darkness rather than a true continuation of the story.


So will more Evil Dead work or are they simply spinning their wheels on nostalgia? Was the new one any good? Do you want to see more? Sound off below.