10 Horror Movies So Good You Overlook Major Flaws
6. Ash Doesn't Acknowledge The Events In The First Film - Evil Dead II
Although great horror sequels are rare, there's no question Evil Dead II is among them. Despite the fact Sam Raimi's first film set the bar to an astronomic level, the follow-up surpassed it in every way. Evil Dead II is funnier, gorier, and more creative. Most importantly, this is the instalment where Bruce Campbell's character, Ash, comes alive.
But there's one aspect that doesn't add up. Because Evil Dead II opens with a recap, it's clear this is a direct sequel, even though the continuity between both films doesn't match. Even though Ash arrived at the cabin with his friends in the first entry, Evil Dead II alters this event, stating Ash came with his girlfriend, Linda. Also, Ash acts so differently this time around, he's basically a different character.
So, why is this? Well, the answer is pretty simple. Because Sam Raimi didn't own the rights to The Evil Dead, and made the sequel with a different company, he couldn't show clips from the previous entry. For the recap, he had to film completely different scenes. As a result, he used this opportunity to tweak the story and characters.
Considering Raimi suffered massive limitations while making Evil Dead II, it's a miracle this sequel turned out so well. However, the continuity inconsistencies are blatantly obvious, especially if you watch the films back-to-back.