With Sam Raimi's rambunctious, hellacious deserted island showdown Send Help arriving this weekend, it's time to officially rank the director's films. Needless to say, it's every cinephile's moral imperative to support and see Send Help in theaters, but where will it land on our Raimi list? Where does it rank among the Evil Deads, Spider-Mans, Simple Plans, and Darkmans?
Raimi is definitely an artist formed and molded by the films he loved as a child, from Universal Monster movies to the Three Stooges. His energetic efforts are a blend of dynamic slapstick, camp, and roller-coaster camera work, providing POV shots representing everything from evil forest spirits to bullets to mechanical tentacles to Wild West shot glasses.
Raimi, known also for a physically demanding directing style, has a fondness for personally (gently) abusing his stars, whether he's throwing dirt and mud into Bruce Campbell's face or tossing trash at Tobey Maguire -- the director actively gets involved off screen with the pelting of his movie's protagonists. We doubt he threw a fastball at Kevin Costner though.
We've decided to keep 1985's Crimewave off the list, despite it both being co-written by the Coen brothers and also being a schlocky cult film in the midst of Raimi's schlocky cult era. If this bugs the completionist in you, then just mentally drop it down at Number 16.
Here are Sam Raimi's films... ranked!
15. For Love of the Game (1999)
To be fair, most Raimi fans would much rather revisit Crimewave than 1999's For Love of the Game, which was not only boring and inert as a Raimi film but also dull for a Kevin Costner sports movie. Raimi took the gig, which was his highest-budgeted project at the time, because of his love of baseball, but the end result is a schmaltzy, forgettable story of a pitcher remembering his life and career during his final outing on the field.
It should also just be stated, for austerity's sake, that For Love of the Game features no Oldsmobile Delta 88 -- Sam Raimi's car from The Evil Dead that the director has featured, usually as a cameo, in every other movie. Yes, the Delta 88 scene got cut. Even The Quick and the Dead and Oz the Great and Powerful used dismantled Delta 88 parts for wagons on set. Just saying. Quite foreboding.
14. Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
Wicked taking Broadway by storm opened up more avenues for exploring L. Frank Baum's world of Oz, namely the backstory of the "Wizard" himself. And on paper there was nothing notably wrong with Sam Raimi helming this Wizard of Oz prequel, with James Franco playing con-artist Oscar and Mila Kunis as Theodora. But the end result just didn't have the Raimi magic. In the end, despite performing decently at the box office, Oz the Great and Powerful just felt like a CG-heavy cash grab with a tone that never gels properly. No one's charisma pops and the project just screamed soulless franchise starter.
Read IGN's review of Oz the Great and Powerful here.
13. The Gift (2000)
Sam Raimi once again found himself in the Billy Bob Thornton business, following the acclaim of A Simple Plan (see below), with a script co-written by Thornton pre-Sling Blade. Unfortunately, The Gift is mostly a by-the-numbers Southern Gothic mystery with an easy-to-spot twist. There's some genuine Raimi flare here and there when it comes to the portrayal of the lead's psychic powers and prophetic dreams, but otherwise this was a dud -- though it did okay at the box office thanks to a great ensemble of Oscar winners/nominees like Cate Blanchett, Greg Kinnear, and Hilary Swank. Plus it had both Keanu Reeves and Katie Holmes playing way against type, for better or worse.
The Gift was also a sort of a bridge between Raimi's A Simple Plan cast (Gary Cole, Chelcie Ross) and his future Spider-Man cast (J.K. Simmons, Rosemary Harris).
12. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
This was a rough one because there were such high hopes for the third Spider-Man film. Raimi had already made two awesome Spidey flicks, with the second one being hailed as the best super-flick of all time -- and then the teasers and trailers got everyone even more hyped! But Spider-Man 3 is a big mess, and the fingerprints of Raimi's behind-the-scene clashes with Sony are all over this one. Featuring villains he didn't want (particularly Venom) and then having the silly Raimi-ness that worked in the previous two films fit like an ill-shaped suit, this third entry was the pits. Now, to be fair, there are some moments, particularly involving Sandman (his effects and fights) that work, but overall fans didn't want to see Peter become a fat-headed jerk (and wanted even less to see him become an emo tool). It's still crazy that the same director and stars could be this far off the mark.
11. Darkman (1990)
Crimewave aside, Darkman was Sam Raimi's first non-Evil Dead flick. It was a modest hit, spawning two direct-to-video sequels (and now maybe a decades-later legacy reboot), and it got Raimi into the Hollywood machine. A mix of big real explosions and campy green screen, Darkman was Raimi's solution, and creation, when he wasn't allowed to make The Shadow, one of his favorite heroes as a kid. It's a superhero story mixed with a Universal Monster tale, starring a fresh-faced Liam Neeson in a role Raimi originally wanted for bestie Bruce Campbell (even some of the lines Neeson's Peyton Westlake yells are reminiscent of Campbell's Evil Dead scenes). You've also got future Oscar winner, and Raimi pal (through the Coen brothers), Frances McDormand trying her hand at a girlfriend/damsel in distress role. Darkman, about a scientist-turned-disfigured vigilante who can 3D print new faces to disguise himself, is a blast, and it marked big things to come for Raimi in the realm of comic book (and comic-book feeling) movies.
10. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Sam Raimi dove headlong into the MCU for one of the better post-Endgame offerings, as Doctor Strange battled a deranged, grief-stricken, post-WandaVision Wanda Maximoff. At times, Multiverse of Madness feels like just a plain neato Marvel movie, but then flashes of Raimi's horror handiwork shine through, particularly through Scarlet Witch's massacring of the Illuminati and her psycho stalking of poor Nexus being America Chavez. Bloodied, limping, almost possessed, Multiverse of Madness Wanda is not to be f***ed with. Earning just shy of a billion, this Doctor Strange sequel was not only Raimi's first movie in nine years (!), but it also wound up as his top-grossing movie, beating out all the Spideys.
Read IGN's review of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness here.
9. The Evil Dead (1981)
The one... the only... the evil... dead! Sam Raimi's shoestring gonzo gorefest cemented him, immediately, as a formidable filmmaker, and a groundbreaker in the realm of independent horror. It's the definitive "cabin in the woods" movie, creating a tumultuous template for all close-quarter scares to come. But just because it's a small cast and a single location doesn't mean it's a slog. Raimi's camera moves, crafting a chaotic carnival ride out a premise that, in less energetic hands, might make you feel like you're standing in line, waiting for said ride. The Evil Dead is one of the most important cult classics ever, and even tops some fans' favorite horror films of all time. It's a best-case scenario of a bunch of talented friends -- Raimi, Bruce Campbell, producer Rob Tapert, et al. -- getting together, scraping together what they could find, and making pure, petrifying art with shocking practical effects.
8. The Quick and the Dead (1995)
Sharon Stone was on top of Tinseltown when The Quick and the Dead was made, and many folks forget just how instrumental she was in putting this pulp Western together. She handpicked Sam Raimi to direct and then went to bat for hot-off-acclaimed-movies Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. For Raimi, this was his chance to stretch, a little, with a new genre (it's still chock-full of textbook Raimi camera tricks, montages featuring floating objects, etc.) and stretch, a lot, with A-listers Stone and Oscar-winner Gene Hackman. The Quick and the Dead was Raimi blooming into a director who could work with established veterans and/or celebrities and it would, like Darkman, push him even further into being one of Hollywood's Most Wanted. The movie itself is a fun, flamboyant revenge flick, though it never quite settles on whether Stone's "Lady" is supposed to be a badass desperado or a frightened woman who's never killed anyone before.
7. Drag Me to Hell (2009)
After three Spidey movies in a row, Raimi returned to ooey gooey Deadite form with the darkly comical Drag Me to Hell, which stars Alison Lohman as a loan officer who gets cursed by a psychotic old woman (who first tries to kill her in her car by the way!), and has three days to sort this s*** out or get -- you got it! -- dragged down into hell! In between crime dramas and superhero tales, Raimi loves to let loose, get gross, and do nasty, nefarious things to his lead performers... um, in the movies, to be clear. Drag Me to Hell is a wicked, wild ride with an unforgettable ending that, arguably, makes the movie. Goodnight, Mrs. Ganush, wherever you are!
Read IGN's review of Drag Me to Hell here.
6. Army of Darkness (1992)
The swashbuckling sequel to Evil Dead II (and third Raimi Evil Dead flick overall) transformed Final Boy/Crash Test Dummy Ash Williams into a lovably buffoonish superhero. Saddled with one of the most bizarre R-ratings ever, Army of Darkness is a slaptsick, Harryhausen-inspired delight that only further endeared Raimi to the nerdy horror community. Ash's petulant bravado, only hinted at in Evil Dead II, was on full display here, creating a dope who brings hope to the Medieval masses. And nestled within this hilarious Deadite adventure was also a much-needed subversion of the time travel genre, in which the person whisked back centuries is a stone-cold jackass with no desire to blend in or do right by the era. Army of Darkness is a joy to behold, and also stands tall as one of the few films with a reshot ending that's not only better than the original idea but one of the most crowd-pleasing sign-offs ever.
5. Spider-Man (2002)
Sam Raimi entered the big time, or at least a bigger time, with Spider-Man, a movie that honestly couldn't be made until computer effects reached a certain benchmark. Sure, James Cameron wanted to take a thwip at getting the ol' web-head onto the big screen in the '90s, but, as we found out, Raimi needed to be the one to do it, bringing his whole bag of tricks along with him. His dynamic sense of action and movement mixed perfectly with his goofy, campy whimsey for a spectacular Spidey story reminiscent of the Stan Lee-Steve Ditko Amazing Spider-Man run in the '60s. X-Men had given Marvel fans their first big taste of comic favorites come to life, but there were a few tweaks to the formula (Matrix-style black leather, for one). Spider-Man was Spider-Man. It was everything we wanted, right down to Peter trying his hand at pro-wrestling to earn money. And Willem Dafoe's Norman Osborn was pitch-perfect. Plus, longtime Raimi collaborator Danny Elfman (Darkman, A Simple Plan, many more) provided one of his best scores. With great power came great responsibility.
4. Send Help (2026)
Sam Raimi's latest is definitely one of his greatest, with Send Help providing both edge-of-your-seat thrills and grim laughs thanks to a a story that's part Cast Away, part War of the Roses, and all demented. Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien co-lead this fiendish fable about a frumpy sad-sack number cruncher and her pampered douchebag boss getting marooned on an isalnd together, where she thrives and he connives. Raimi knew McAdams was game after working with her on Multiverse of Madness, though it still feels like a surprise to see her in this particular Raimi-verse. The one filled with glop, slop, and characters getting the bejesus beaten out of them. O'Brien, too, is wonderfilly willing to get down and dirty, even at times channeling some of Bruce Campbell's old meathead machismo.
Read IGN's review of Send Help here.
3. A Simple Plan (1998)
The first big outlier in Sam Raimi's career was -- heck, still is! -- his most acclaimed film to date, winning multiple awards and landing two Oscar nominations (one of which was won by Billy Bob Thornton). A Simple Plan is far more than just "Raimi's Fargo," spinning a morose yarn about two brothers and a local yokel who find $4 million on a crashed private plane in the snowy woods. Their best intentions (about keeping the money, mind you) go miserably awry, almost from the get-go, and Raimi superbly devastates us with his first earnest attempt at genuine emotion, fear, and anxiety. Thornton and Bill Paxton are next level as a the ill-fated bros and Bridget Fonda (on the movie where she'd meet husband Danny Elfman) is searing in a Lady Macbeth-style performance. A Simple Plan is still criminally underseen, not just as a Raimi movie but as one of the best films of the '90s period.
2. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
When Spider-Man 2 hit, the world of superhero movies felt a seismic change. To this day, it's still considered by many to be the best, even when Iron Man and The Dark Knight rolled around six years later and split the vote. Raimi took everything that worked in the first Spider-Man movie and dialed it up, even giving us some Evil Dead-ittude during Doc Ock's hospital tentacle attack. Let's put it this way: Spider-Man 2 is so good that fans immediately accepted the "Spider-Man's powers don't work because Peter is full of anxiety and regret" angle. That would be ripped to shred these days (as everything, sadly, is ripped to shreds). Spider-Man 2 is a cathartic watch, gifting us with Grade-A Spidey while also offering an interesting spin on Otto Octavius being controlled by myopic AI. The Spider-Man/Doc Ock battles feel like they're leaping out of the comic pages, with the subway fight still looming large as one of the best super-brawls ever. Peter dealing with his decision to live a lonely vigilante life helped bring this rollicking romp to life, leaving just enough room to set up a third movie that would for sure be as good, if not better. Little did we know.
1. Evil Dead II (1987)
This is it. The apex. The peak. Evil Dead... perfected!
Only a handful of directors have chosen to/had the opportunity to remake their own movie, but one of them was Raimi favorite Alfred Hitchcock -- an auteur whom Raimi patterned not only his camera work after, but also his suited on-set style. Evil Dead II is a zany, splattery, righteous ride that needs to be seen by everyone. We say this without fear of hyperbole. This is a devilishy camped-up Evil Dead, taking everything that worked in the first movie -- Ash and his girlfriend discover the Necronomicon in a secluded cabin and accidentally release Deadites -- and blowing it up to the Nth degree. Heavy is the slapstick, silliness, and stunt work as Bruce Campbell becomes the consummate demon-battling ragdoll. Evil Dead II is the best horror-comedy ever made and the number of filmmakers it's influenced is too many to count. Even when Raimi makes movies today -- whether it's an MCU entry or something like Send Help -- we get giddy when we see anything that harkens back to Evil Dead II. This iconic cult classic uses every cinematic trick in the book, even inventing a few new ones along the way. It's an over-the-top, brazen, self-aware "sequel" that easily stands the test of time.
What's your favorite Raimi movie? Let's talk in the comments, and of course, vote in our poll too!
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