Evil Dead II

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Evil Dead II is available in Australia on Rialto Amazon Channel, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and Philo right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Bruce Campbell sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight on Rialto Amazon Channel and see for yourself.

Evil Dead II arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Evil Dead II gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Ash Williams and his girlfriend Linda find a log cabin in the woods with a voice recording from an archeologist who had recorded himself reciting ancient chants from "The Book of the Dead." As they play the recording an evil power is unleashed taking over Linda's body. The chemistry Bruce Campbell and Sarah Berry bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. It was released in 1987. The timing in Evil Dead II is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It rarely drops the ball, and when it does, it recovers fast.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Evil Dead II respects your intelligence. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Bruce Campbell sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.