Sam Raimioriginally made a name for himself in thehorrorgenre before switching to superhero films like the originalSpider-Manmovies with Tobey Maguire and thenDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Fans were thrilled to hear he wasreturning to his horror rootswith another installment of theEvil Deadfranchise,which Raimi originally directed, produced, and wrote back in 1981.
The stylized director is undoubtedly known for theEvil Deadfranchise, but most fail to realize how many horror films Raimi has played a part in. Indeed, he is credited across numerous popular horror films for his directing, writing, and even producing expertise. Taking these accreditations into play, here are Raimi’s best horror films ranked.
11The Grudge (2004)
The Grudgesaw Raimi in his role as a producer. In the 2004 film, Sarah Michelle Gellar plays an American nurse who is working in Tokyo, where the original film, directed by Takashi Shimizu, also took place. The Grudge is a “curse,” which infects its hosts with the goal of killing them. While the film received mixed reviews, it did go on to span two additional films and an attempted reboot in 2020.
Related:The Best Moments in Sam Raimi’s Movies, Ranked
10Don’t Breathe 2
Raimi is no stranger to franchise films. As a producer, Raimi worked on theDon’t Breathefilms, which showcases a tough as nails blind man who keeps defending himself from people breaking in. In the sequel,Don’t Breathe 2, which takes place in the following years after the first film, The Blind Man has to leave the isolated cabin where he was hiding out to save his housemate who was kidnapped.
930 Days of Night
In one of the more gore-filled films,30 Days of Nighttakes place in Alaska, where the sun doesn’t come out for 30 days, making the small town easy prey for a group of bloodthirsty vampires. To make things worse, the town is isolated and snowed in without any means to seek help. Raimi helped produce the film, which starred heartthrob Josh Hartnett as the town’s sheriff.
In the reboot of the 1981Evil Deadfilm, the 2013 version of the same name saw a return of Raimi to the franchise as a producer and writer. In the 2013 version, a group of friends goes to the cabin where they find The Book of the Dead. Similarly to the original, they accidentally unleash flesh-possessing demons who inhabit Mai (Jane Levy), a drug addict who was brought to the cabin to detox, making her the perfect host for the demon.
7Drag Me to Hell
Drag Me to Hellis another triple threat by Raimi as he directed, produced, and wrote the film. The 2009 film, which has recently reemerged thanks to noise about a sequel, follows a loan officer who evicts the wrong person from their home. For a leg up a work, Christine (Alison Lohman) refuses an extension to an old woman who in turn curses her and damns her to hell.
Crawlis more of akiller creature horror filmas the main protagonist are alligators who take up residence in the basement of a house thanks to rising waters from the Category 5 hurricane. Haley, played by Kaya Scodelario, goes to her dad’s house instead of evacuating, only to find herself face-to-face with alligators who won’t let the father-daughter duo out alive. Raimi helped produce this exciting film.
5Don’t Breathe
Similar to the sequel as earlier mentioned, Raimi also acted as a producer on the firstDon’t Breathefilm. The original film follows a group of kids who target the house of a blind man, who is said to have a lot of money inside. What should be an easy break-in for the experienced group turns into a killing spree as the blind man turns out to be a retired soldier — one who is capable of defending what is his at all costs.
4Army of Darkness
Army of Darknessis the third film in theEvil Deadfranchise and is another that was directed and written by Raimi. Continuing with the theme of a comedic horror film, this one takes Ash, the main protagonist and demon fighter from the first two films, and transports him to 1300 AD, where he must, as the title suggests, battle the army of darkness so that he can return to his own time. Full of alter-egos, battles, and of courseThe Book of the Dead, this film is another highly credited movie in the franchise.
Evil Dead Riseis Raimi’s most recent film, where he served as Executive Producer. The installment in theEvil Deadfranchise is the first film thatRaimi did not director write the film. Instead, Irish filmmaker Lee Cronin directed and wrote the film, which pays homage to its predecessors. In this gore-filled sequel, two estranged sisters' reunion is cut short when one is infected with the flesh-possessing demon whom you might remember from the earlier films.
Related:Evil Dead Rise: Where the Franchise Could Go From Here
In the sequel toThe Evil Dead,Evil Dead IItakes the horror genre and merges it with comedy — a staple that will then appear in other Raimi-made films. The film takes place after the first with the lone survivor, Ash, holding up in the same cabin with a new group of people who also find themselves facing the flesh-possessing demons. For many, this film is more popular than the original thanks to the emphasis on the comedic fun intermixed with the gore and thrill.
