Ranking Every Sam Raimi Movie Part 3 - re:View

Quick Overview

The ranking of Sam Raimi's feature films places "Evil Dead 2" at number one, followed by "Spider-Man 2" at number two, and "Darkman" at number three, with the discussion highlighting the creative differences and tonal shifts across Raimi's diverse filmography, particularly praising the practical effects in his earlier horror work.

Key Points: The ranking places "Evil Dead 2" (1987) as the number one Sam Raimi film. "Spider-Man 2" (2004) is ranked second, noted for its strong characters and the compelling villain arc of Doctor Octopus. "Darkman" (1990) is ranked third, praised for its unique style and being an early example of a superhero film that balances horror and action. The discussion highlights the visual style and practical effects in Raimi's early horror films, such as the practical effects used for the possessed Linda in "Evil Dead 2" (00:00, 32:12). "The Quick and the Dead" (1995) is highly regarded for its visual flair, particularly the stylized gunfight sequences. The ranking concludes with "For Love of the Game" (1999) at number 16 and "Crimewave" (1986) at number 16 (though the list shows 16 entries, the discussion implies a definitive order). The speakers noted that Raimi's filmography is diverse, with some films like "A Simple Plan" (1998) being surprisingly dark character tragedies.

Context: Two hosts, Jay Bauman and Rich Evans, engage in a spirited discussion and ranking of every feature film directed by Sam Raimi, referencing clips from several of his movies to illustrate their points. The conversation covers his range from low-budget horror like the Evil Dead series to big-budget superhero films and Westerns, focusing on directorial style, practical effects, and character development across his career.

Detailed Analysis

The video presents a ranking of every Sam Raimi movie, conducted by hosts Jay Bauman and Rich Evans. Rich Evans' final ranking places "Evil Dead 2" at number one, followed by "Spider-Man 2" at number two, and "Darkman" at number three. Evans expresses a strong preference for Raimi's early horror work, particularly "Evil Dead 2" (32:11), praising its visceral practical effects, like the possessed woman sequence (33:05) and the iconic shot of Ash fighting his own possessed hand (37:47). He notes that while Raimi's later work, like the Spider-Man trilogy, is great, the raw creativity of his lower-budget films is what he loves most. Jay Bauman seems to enjoy the ranking process, often reacting to the clips and Evans' strong opinions with amusement. They discuss specific directorial trademarks evident across his career, such as the "Dutch angle" shots (27:47) and the way Raimi handles intense action sequences, like the final showdown in "The Quick and the Dead" (27:02). The discussion also touches on "A Simple Plan" (00:18), noting its dark tone, and the consistent quality of actors like Liam Neeson and Bruce Campbell across Raimi's projects. The ranking provided by Rich Evans places "The Quick and the Dead" (23:15) at number two and "Darkman" (19:53) at number three, with "Evil Dead 2" topping the list. The segment ends with the hosts laughing and agreeing on the subjective nature of the list.