Movie Deconstruction!

Theme of Evil Dead 2:

Sometimes there is evil within all of us (whether we’re possessed by demons by the necronominon or not).  Maybe, we should try and exhume the evil from ourselves, whether it be by trying to change a habit or part of our personality that isn’t the best part of us, or whether it is cutting off our hand that is possessed by an evil presence.

Evil Dead 2 is one of the greatest cult classic movies out there, and although the general quality of production is lack luster, it uses many elements to help convey the theme it contains.  Two of the major elements that it uses are line and movement to help realize the theme of how evil is bad.  The element of movement really helps this theme be realized.  Because of the frantic movement of the hand attacking Ash (the main character) is so chaotic; it builds major tension and stirs the viewer.  There is a slight release when Ash collapses and it seems that the episode is over, but tension is restored again by having the hand continue to act on its own.  Line is used when the hand begins to drag Ash, who is seemingly unconscious, along the floor, and many straight lines are seen In the video symbolizing a rigid feeling about the area and his temporarily lifeless body.  There is also a great amount of contrast and affinity in the scene.  The whole movie creates a feeling of evil in things that we know to be generally good or not completely evil (such as trees, hands, things of that nature).  In this scene, (earlier) we see that Ash’s own hand becomes evil, breaking the affinity that we had of something good and making it contrast to Ash’s own being.  Evil Dead 2, although being a B movie set up just for kicks, conveys one of the most common themes of movies: Evil is not Groovy.