Evil Dead II

Play trailer

1:23

Evil Dead II

R

Released Mar 13, 1987

1h 25m

Horror

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

83 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

The second of three films in the Evil Dead series is part horror, part comedy, with Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) once again battling horrifying demons at a secluded cabin in the woods. After discovering an audiotape left by a college professor that contains voices reading from the Book of the Dead, Ash's girlfriend Linda (Denise Bixler) becomes possessed by evil spirits that are awakened by the voices on the tape. Ash soon discovers there is no escaping the woods.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

Less a continuation than an outright reimagining, Sam Raimi transforms his horror tale into a comedy of terrors -- and arguably even improves on the original formula.

Read Critics Reviews

Owen Gleiberman

Boston Phoenix

Raimi delivers. At this point, I'm not sure whether he's a genius or certifiable (perhaps a bit of both), but Evil Dead 2 is the horror equivalent of the hardest drugs there are: it bypasses logic and heads straight for your pleasure centers.

Mar 29, 2023

Full Review

Elvis Mitchell

Detroit Free Press

For those who respond by screaming back at the movie while swallowing its junk food aesthetic, this may be the best time they've had in quite a while.

Rated: 7/10

Mar 29, 2023

Full Review

David Ansen

Newsweek

Keep your eye on Raimi: it's not easy to pitch a comedy at a level this flamboyant and then keep topping the gags.

Mar 29, 2023

Full Review

Noah Berlatsky

Everything is Horrible (Substack)

Raimi's movie is a glorious goof, which picks up some of Lovecraft's tossed off ideas as an excuse for gross-out physical comedy and joyful filmmaking.

Apr 3, 2024

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Its demons just want to have a little nasty fun with its human playthings and the gleeful excess is so over-the-top that it leaves the realm of horror and becomes slapstick splatter fest

Jul 1, 2023

Full Review

Hal Boedeker

Miami Herald

It revels in bad taste. It boasts smart-alecky special effects. The blood doesn't flow, it gushes. Sitting through this movie is an ordeal. All of which means Evil Dead 2 is a spectacular success. There are horror movies, and then there is this thing.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 29, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Jason Phillips

Great cinematography, great practical effects, Bruce Campbell is amazing - just good gory fun!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/03/24

Full Review

Mathew Macias

Greatest movie of all time

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/03/24

Full Review

Uri

How could you hate this god dam movie 5/5

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/05/23

Full Review

Ghostface D

I WILL SWALLOW YOUR SOUL!!!! SWALLOW THIS! BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/30/25

Full Review

Jason H

I vividly remember the first time I watched this. I had rented the VHS in Summer of 1988, I watched it late at night, and it terrified me. I watched it again the next day, and I realized it was actually pretty funny.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/14/25

Full Review

Eric W.

Absolutely fascinating! Nonstop action and unapologetic gore!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/13/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Sam Raimi

Director

Bruce Campbell

Ashley "Ash" J. Williams

Sarah Berry

Annie Knowby

Dan Hicks

Jake

Denise Bixler

Linda

Kassie Wesley DePaiva

Bobbie Joe

View more videos

The Lost Boys

75%

85%

The Lost Boys

Watchlist

Fright Night

83%

76%

Fright Night

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Fright Night

An American Werewolf in London

89%

85%

An American Werewolf in London

Watchlist

TRAILER

for An American Werewolf in London

The People Under the Stairs

70%

61%

The People Under the Stairs

Watchlist

Man's Best Friend

21%

43%

Man's Best Friend

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The 8 Best Ways to Turn a Movie into an Amazing TV Series

Bruce Campbell Retired Ash, But Ash vs Evil Dead Finale May Leave Hope For Evil Dead 4

Bruce Campbell Says Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3 May Finally Break Ash

Evil Dead 2: Death by Dawn: Trailer 1

1:23

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

The second of three films in the Evil Dead series is part horror, part comedy, with Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) once again battling horrifying demons at a secluded cabin in the woods. After discovering an audiotape left by a college professor that contains voices reading from the Book of the Dead, Ash's girlfriend Linda (Denise Bixler) becomes possessed by evil spirits that are awakened by the voices on the tape. Ash soon discovers there is no escaping the woods.

Director: Sam Raimi
Producer: Rob Tapert
Screenwriter: Sam Raimi
Distributor: Rosebud Releasing Corporation
Production Co: De Laurentiis, Lions Gate Films, Renaissance Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 13, 1987, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 2, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.6M
Runtime: 1h 25m

Most Popular at Home Now