Sequel Slaughterfest - 'Evil Dead 2' Vs. 'Army of Darkness'

Happy Halloween! Welcome back to The Great Debates where I'm helping Ash choose between two more sets of Deadites to carve up.

Last time, I compared the original Evil Dead to its remake (or reboot, depending on who you ask) to see which was superior. Today, I'm doing the same for the other two parts of the original Sam Raimi-helmed trilogy, 1987's Evil Dead 2 and 1992's Army of Darkness. This is significantly trickier since, despite being part of the same series and continuity, they're two very different films that both have major cult followings. I know I'm going to piss off someone, regardless which one I choose.

Well, my boomstick's loaded, and my chainsaw's gassed up. Let's start the rampage.

Evil Dead 2 both retells the events of the original film and continues on. With Ash (played again by the legendary Bruce Campbell) being the only survivor of the undead siege brought on by the Necronomicon, he has to battle both a new set of people who came to the cabin to find the book only to get possessed one-by-one and himself as the evil spirits attempt to take him over. The plot is much thinner than even the original film, but it's made up for with plenty of gruesome kills and a much jokier tone.

Army of Darkness picks up where Evil Dead 2 left off. After a portal zaps Ash back to the Middle Ages, he gets drafted to lead an army to defend against the Deadites. However, Ash's only concern is finding a way to return to his own time. The plot is more developed than the other films, but it's also the silliest. There are plenty of moments of slapstick, and Ash became solidified as the wiseass antihero that will define the character for the rest of time.

Unlike the first Evil Dead that jumped from creepy to funny so harshly that it created tonal whiplash, both sequels are established at the beginning as very comical. Most of the humor comes from Ash's sarcastic demeanor and a very grisly form of slapstick. Whether Ash is getting into a fight with his own demon-possessed hand or an evil head that sprouted out, the physical comedy is some of the funniest you could find. Majors props to Bruce's physicality during these scenes (which also served him well when he played Autolycus in Xena: Warrior Princess). Unfortunately, the trade-off to Ash's huge presence is that the supporting casts are practically invisible. Even Sheila, the somewhat love interest in Army of Darkness, didn't leave an impression at all.

Each of the sequels has an element in its favor that makes the judging difficult. Army of Darkness has the more substantial plot. While it is still thin compared to other fantasy or horror films, there's still a strong arc for Ash's character. He starts out showing more concern for going home than the Medieval innocents threatened by the Dead and grows into the leader he was prophesied to be. The plot of Evil Dead 2 is much thinner, largely a retread of the first film. However, its comic setpieces are much more memorable and much funnier. Ash's fight with his own hand is one of the funniest moments in any horror movie. I doubt even physical comedy geniuses like Buster Keaton could've done it better than Bruce. Evil Dead 2 also didn't lose its horror edge. Army of Darkness felt more like a fantasy film. It was reported that the Evil Dead name wasn't included so the movie could appeal to a wider audience, and it really does feel compromised.

Both movies were enjoyable in their own ways, but it's time for my decision for this debate. While Army of Darkness had the stronger plot, the weakened horror felt forced on it by the studio. Evil Dead 2's plot may be paper-thin, but it felt like Sam Raimi went all-out with the horror and humor. It felt more like Raimi's pure vision than the third film did; so, it deserves the nod from me.

THE WINNER OF THIS DEBATE IS... EVIL DEAD 2!

Disagree? Want to sick some Deadites on me? Let me know. Thanks for joining me on this month-long look at Evil Dead, and check out my playthrough of Evil Dead: Regeneration on my gaming channel "Cool Media" if you haven't already! Happy Halloween!