Ash vs. Evil Dead feels as campy and goofy as its predecessors, and that is amazing. For those who haven't seen the Evil Dead movie, fret not, you are given everything you need to catch up. For fans and newcomers alike, the series is absolutely "groovy."
Ash vs. Evil Dead is a delight right from the start. I’ll admit that I have not seen all of the Evil Dead movies; I’ve only seen Army of Darkness. I found myself worried that this would inhibit my enjoyment of the show. This was not the case. Ash vs. Evil Dead does a fantastic job of bringing everyone up to speed. The series has to since the last Evil Dead movie came out in 1987 (not including the 2013 remake).
The first episode finds Ash Williams 30 years older and still working the same crappy job as a “stock boy” at a discount store. Evil is once again released unto the world when Ash reads from the Necronomicon (a book bound in human flesh and penned in blood) after getting high in his trailer. Ash realizes that it is time to stop running from the evil that has returned and start fighting back.
Sam Raimi returns as director for the pilot, and although subsequent episodes have different directors, Raimi’s influence is still apparent. The series is still as campy as the movies were, but that was the intent. The effects are tacky, blood spurts in all directions, practical effects and make-up are used when they can, and you feel as if you are watching a movie from the 80s.
Ash vs. Evil Dead is full of action, gore, and cheesy one-liners. Even though the story revolves around Ash being the prophetic “Jefe,” it most certainly is not a serious “the prophecy becomes a reality” show. However, as the series progresses, so does the horror factor. The show starts off light-hearted enough to make you believe the show will be a gore-filled comedy but quickly morphs into a genuinely terrifying experience. And it only gets worse as the series continues.
The show is chock-full of references to the films. The POV shots when the evil moves are exactly the same as the now-iconic shots from the Evil Dead series. The car Ash drives is the same as it was in the movies: a 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale. The title screen is the iconic Evil Dead sound. And these are just a few from the beginning of the show. As the series goes on, you see more references to the movies, and the series feels like a genuine part of the Evil Dead universe.
The worst part about the series is how it relies on cheap jump-scares early-on. Is this reminiscent of scare tactics from the movies? Yes. Are they super predictable and lose their touch? Also yes. Jump-scares are fun but are far too abundant when the series begins. The fun comes when ***MINOR SPOILER*** Ash summons a demon and it begins to mess around with Ash and his cohorts. As more demons appear, the horror levels (and my adrenaline) increase. ***END OF MINOR SPOILER*** Creating more tension and anxiety-inducing scenes begins to render jump-scare more obsolete. However, a well-placed jump-scare still works.
Just in time for Halloween, Ash vs. Evil Dead comes to Blu-ray October 16. October is the perfect time to watch the series. It’s creepy, it’s campy, and, as Ash would put it, it is “groovy.” However, it is not a family piece. The show’s rating it TV-MA and includes sexual content, extreme violence, and language to match.
