Gateway films – we all have them, and we all remember that first hit as our eyes and minds are opened up to an exciting new cinematic genre.

Evil Dead 2 is the gateway movie of my life, and it has a lot to answer for.

I must have been 13 years old when me and my friend took his brothers VHS copy of Evil Dead 2 and spent an afternoon transfixed by the grainy images displayed on his 4:3 tv.

How times change, as today I sit here not with a beaten up VHS version but instead a pristine, 4k blu-ray disc of Evil Dead 2.

Groovy.

Sam Raimi first introduced the world to his iconic character of Ash with the original Evil Dead film, played by B movie legend Bruce Campbell – a college friend of Raimi’s and staple cameo in pretty much all of his director friend’s later films.

Ash was different to other horror icons though, he was an accidental and reluctant hero, someone who begrudged having to save the day.

Veering between clumsy, hapless and hilarious, Ash was nearly always hopelessly out of his depth – which of course ended up becoming the best thing about the Evil Dead trilogy.

Evil Dead 2 sees Ash picking up where the first film left off and within 10 minutes he’s – spoiler alert – beheaded and buried his girlfriend, before becoming possessed and having to deal with the Evil Dead once more.

Sequels, eh.

While the original Evil Dead was a straight up horror flick, Evil Dead 2 charts the progression of Ash from a humble, put-upon boyfriend to a chainsaw wielding, shotgun spinning cult hero and, though other characters are introduced, enjoyed and ultimately dispatched, Evil Dead 2 will always be Ash’s magnus opum.

What’s notable about the 4k version is just how brilliant the original makeup and effects were. Grotesque characters such as Henrietta look stunning in 4k, with their Harryhausen-esque movements rendered even clearer in this high spec vetsion.

The enhanced colours really make a difference too as blood pops out of the screen, making this update look warmer than the original.

But what pleased me the most was how this 4k version of Evil Dead 2 hasn’t lost any of its slightly low budget feel.

The charm of these movies was in knowing that they were made on a shoestring budget, even though they still looked fantastic – thankfully this has not been lost in translation.

Fans of the series will find this 4k version a real treat – hell, maybe some kid will discover Evil Dead 2 one day and be introduced to a whole new world of cinema.

It might even change their life – you have been warned.

Andrew Campbell