From large-scale superhero epics to early horror classics, here are some of our favorite Sam Raimi films to date, ranked in order from worst to best.
Every generation has their favorite cult film directors, whether we’re talking about the early days of John Carpenter or George A. Romero in the 1970s or the prodigious career of Quentin Tarantino in the early 1990s. Falling somewhere in the middle of this cinematic timeline, Sam Raimi helped popularize the idea of independent filmmaking as a legitimate alternative to the Hollywood-backed studio system. Relying on a miniscule budget, an inexperienced cast and crew, and hand-crafted special effects, Raimi rose from a talented indie filmmaker into one of the leading cinematic pioneers of the late 20th century, influencing countless later filmmakers from Tarantino and Edgar Wright to Drew Goddard and Peter Jackson.
From large-scale superhero epics to early horror classics, here are some of our favorite Sam Raimi films to date, ranked in order from worst to best.
Failing to secure the rights to ‘40s pulp hero The Shadow, Sam Raimi shrugged his shoulders and decided to create his own superhero from scratch. The results gave way to 1990’s memorably gritty superhero film, Darkman. A thematic homage to the ‘30s horror films of Universal Studios, Darkman also showed off Raimi’s deft handling of superheroic subject matter (a feat that became all too apparent with Raimi’s later Spider-Man Trilogy roughly 10 years later).
The third entry in Raimi’s Evil Dead series, Army of Darkness also brought the franchise to a soft close in the fall of 1992. Wrapping up Ash Williams’ journey from the remote Southern wilderness to the High Middle Ages, Army of Darkness drew on an epic historical scope with its main narrative, pitting Ash against his most dangerous foes yet. Though it may not boast the same chilling atmosphere as its predecessors, Army of Darkness’s infectious blend between action, comedy, and horror makes it a welcome addition to the larger Evil Dead universe.
In many ways, Spider-Man set the standard for the superhero genre of the modern era. Alongside the equally well-loved X-Men films of the early 2000s, Spider-Man helped prove that Marvel characters could effectively leap off the comic book page, delighting mass audiences the same way Batman and Superman had in the decades prior. Kicking off his fan-favorite Spider-Man Trilogy in grand fashion, Raimi’s faithful treatment of New York’s webslinger won him instant renown, with many viewers continuing to cite Tobey Maguire as the definitive Spidey actor over two decades later.
A Simple Plan may not be Raimi’s most well-known film, but its lack of critical popularity shouldn’t reflect on the movie’s superior quality. Conjuring a narrative as dense and plot twist-heavy as Fargo, A Simple Plan serves as one of Raimi’s most grounded drama films, dovetailing a suspenseful script with a remarkable ensemble cast. Punctuated by repeated betrayals and shocking plot revelations, it’s a masterfully tense thriller that most viewers won’t forget experiencing the first time around.
Quite possibly the most successful directorial debut of all time, Raimi channeled his inner George Romero with his feature-length work on The Evil Dead. Wandering into the middle of the Tennessee forest with a camera, a ragtag production crew, and an unknown cast of actors, Raimi’s casual approach to filming The Evil Dead marked a major milestone in independent cinema. Focusing more on story than on large-budget special effects, Raimi proved you didn’t need a massive budget, an experienced cast, or multiple filming locations to make a great movie. All you needed was a tight script, a working camera, and a cast dedicated to seeing your vision through to fruition.
To this day, it’s hard to think of a superhero film more universally loved than Spider-Man 2. A more than satisfying follow-up to Raimi’s original Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 also meticulously drew on its comic book source material for inspiration. Exploring Peter Parker’s frustrations with being Spider-Man at the cost of his personal life, Spider-Man 2 asks some fundamentally meaningful questions about the nature of heroism and the sacrifices such a role entails. As a result, the movie draws on an emotionally weightier story than its immediate predecessor, serving as one of the greatest superhero films of the past 20 years.
We don’t know how he does it, but Sam Raimi always manages to supersede expectations when it comes to his above-par sequels. Just as he’d later delight audiences with Spider-Man 2, Raimi handed in a superbly well-crafted sequel with 1987’s Evil Dead II. Equipped with a slightly larger budget yet still utilizing a minimalist setting and storyline, Raimi also infused his consistently horrifying narrative with a ghoulish sense of humor most audience members utterly adored. Through this, Raimi captured a unique atmosphere that was at once funny and terrifying, setting the tone for every Raimi-backed Evil Dead project featuring Bruce Campbell’s dry-witted protagonist, Ash Williams.
