The Evil Dead (1981)
Kernel Score: 82% · 4,379 ratings · Rated NC-17
Genres: Horror
Released: 1981-10-15
Runtime: 85 minutes
Is The Evil Dead worth watching?
Worth watching. Five students in a remote cabin find a book that unleashes demons. It's cheap, rough and gory, but its inventive camera work and nasty energy made it a landmark for low-budget horror.
Watch it if you
- love low-budget cult horror
- enjoy a film with raw, inventive filmmaking
- don't mind gore
Skip it if you
- dislike graphic violence
- expect polish or subtlety
Best for: Horror night with friends
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch The Evil Dead
- Free with ads: Xumo Play
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
In 1979, a group of college students find a Sumerian Book of the Dead in an old wilderness cabin they've rented for a weekend getaway.
The Evil Dead parents' guide: ages 16+
Parents need to know that The Evil Dead is a classic NC-17 horror film with intense gore and demonic violence.
- Violence & scariness: Intense — Features graphic gore, demonic possession, and horror violence throughout, consistent with its NC-17 rating.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official NC-17 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Evil Dead
If you liked The Evil Dead, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Evil Dead II (1987) — 84%: The sequel, funnier and wilder.
- Army of Darkness (1992) — 81%: Third entry, now a fantasy comedy.
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) — 80%: Raw, grimy horror that shaped the genre.
- Night of the Living Dead (1968) — 88%: Landmark low-budget siege horror.
- The Thing (1982) — 93%: Paranoid, gory horror with outstanding effects.
- The Descent (2005) — 76%: Claustrophobic horror with a group under attack.
Director
Cast
- Bruce Campbell as Ash
- Ellen Sandweiss as Cheryl
- Richard DeManincor as Scott
- Betsy Baker as Linda
- Theresa Tilly as Shelly
- Philip A. Gillis as Fake Shemp
- Dorothy Tapert as Fake Shemp
- Cheryl Guttridge as Fake Shemp
- Barbara Carey as Fake Shemp
- David Horton as Fake Shemp
The Evil Dead FAQ
Is The Evil Dead worth watching?
Worth watching. Five students in a remote cabin find a book that unleashes demons. It's cheap, rough and gory, but its inventive camera work and nasty energy made it a landmark for low-budget horror.
Where can I watch The Evil Dead?
In the US you can watch it free with ads on Xumo Play and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is The Evil Dead OK for kids?
The Evil Dead is rated NC-17. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 16+. Parents need to know that The Evil Dead is a classic NC-17 horror film with intense gore and demonic violence.
What movies are like The Evil Dead?
If you liked The Evil Dead, try Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Night of the Living Dead.