Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lots of blood, gore in Raimi's innovative horror classic.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Evil Dead II
What's the Story?
In EVIL DEAD II, Ash (Bruce Campbell) and his girlfriend, Laura (Denise Bixler), head to a remote cabin for a romantic getaway. Ash discovers a recording of an archeologist reading passages from a forbidden book called the Necronomicon and plays it. Unfortunately, the passages, when read aloud, awaken an evil force from the woods. It enters the house and possesses Laura, and Ash is forced to behead her with a shovel—but not before she bites his hand. His hand becomes possessed, and Ash cuts it off, too. Meanwhile, four newcomers arrive: Annie (Sarah Berry), the daughter of the archeologist on the recording; her research partner, Ed (Richard Domeier); and locals Jake (Dan Hicks) and Bobby Sue (Kassie Wesley). Annie discovers a ritual that might put the evil back in its place, but it requires pages from the book that are now in the basement with a possessed woman, aka a "deadite." Ahead of the inevitable showdown, Ash prepares a sawed-off shotgun and straps a chainsaw to his now-handless arm.
Is It Any Good?
This gory horror sequel moves like few other movies: It's kinetic, quick, and agile, with a snappy, wacky rhythm that's constantly surprising and even funny. Director Sam Raimi's original The Evil Dead, released in U.S. theaters in 1983, had the same energy—it was a truly striking debut feature—on a budget of only $375,000. For Evil Dead II, which is essentially a retelling of the first movie, Raimi was given a significantly larger budget, $3.5 million, and the sky was the limit in terms of imaginative camera tricks, visual and sound effects, jazz-like editing, and striking compositions. Imagine a light bulb slowly filling with blood until it bursts; what does that light look like in the room? Or imagine the arhythmic banging of a trap door barely held in place by chains? Raimi packs just about every frame with a gory, scary treat at this heightened level of creativity.
But another huge reason for the movie's success is Campbell's performance. He has a leading-man aura, but he's a goof, and his facial expressions recall cartoon characters. When he delivers a line that ought to sound heroic, it's hilarious instead. (Raimi and Campbell, who are childhood pals, grew up in love with both horror movies and the Three Stooges.) And then there's that gobsmacking gotcha of an ending, far better than most of the "it's over ... or is it?" endings of other horror movies. Evil Dead II was ahead of its time, and it's still heads (and hands) above the rest.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Evil Dead II's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes like to be scared?
What, do you think, is the enduring appeal of this movie? What makes something a "cult classic"?
How does Raimi use the camera almost as a "character" within the story?
How does the movie balance horror and comedy? Do you think one genre dominates, or are they equally weighted? Does a comic tone affect the impact of gory, violent scenes?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 13, 1987
- On DVD or streaming : October 2, 2013
- Cast : Bruce Campbell , Sarah Berry , Dan Hicks
- Director : Sam Raimi
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Rosebud Releasing Corporation
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic , Monsters , Time Travel )
- Run time : 84 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 23, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate