Sam Raimi is one of the most distinguished genre filmmakers of the past several decades, especially when taking into consideration his humble origins. Although Rami started his career by making graphic independent films with his childhood best friend, Bruce Campbell, he would go on to make some of the most successful blockbusters of all time. Nonetheless, Raimi has fluctuated between film scales, opting to make smaller films in between the tentpoles.

Raimi is a filmmaker with an interest in many different types of films; although he is best known for his work with body horror and superhero films, he has also made a sports film, an underrated western, a low-key character drama, and a fantasy film aimed at children. It’s exciting that while Raimi has many classics to his name, he is also continuing to make new films. Here are the top ten best Sam Raimi films, ranked.

10

‘For Love of the Game’ (1999)

Starring Kevin Costner and J.K. Simmons

For Love of the Game offered a resurgence of the baseball film, which was clearly of significant interest to its star, Kevin Costner, who had previously starred in Field of Dreams and Bull Durham. Although Raimi is typically known for his demented sense of humor, For Love of the Game is actually a rather straightforward drama about an aging baseball pitcher knowing about his chaotic family life as he prepares to play in the final game of his career.

For Love of the Game features some incredible baseball game footage, showing once again that Raimi is highly gifted as a visual storyteller. Although it is Costner’s performance that is undeniably the reason to see the film, For Love of the Game also features strong supporting performances from Jena Malone, J.K. Simmons, and John C. Reilly among other members of the stacked supporting cast.

9

‘Drag Me to Hell’ (2009)

Starring Alison Lohman and Justin Long

Drag Me to Hell was Raimi’s delightful return to the horror genre after he had been worn out by making a few too many superhero films. Despite the fact that the film is not particularly violent, as it managed to only earn a PG-13 rating, it does contain some very disturbing sequences in which Alison Lohman’s character is subjected to torture.

Raimi uses Drag Me to Hell to satirize the stereotypes that are common with horror films, and also offer some sly commentary on white privilege. Although some may have expected Raimi to swing back to the anarchic style of his early work from the 1980s, the carefully tuned satire within Drag Me to Hell indicated that he had significantly matured as a filmmaker, and was capable of making the type of ambitious passion projects that he wouldn’t have been able to master when he was younger.

8

‘The Quick and the Dead’ (1995)

Starring Sharon Stone and Russell Crowe

The Quick and the Dead is the only Western that Raimi has ever made, and serves as a throwback to the “spaghetti” era of the genre, where films such as Django and The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly were at the height of their popularity. Although it is just as visually inventive as some of the other films that Raimi has made, it also has a great story that focuses on an enigmatic heroine (Sharon Stone) who is out on a mission of revenge to take down a ruthless sheriff (Gene Hackman).

The Quick and the Dead is a showcase for its movie stars, as it featured breakout roles from both Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio before they ascended to the ranks of Hollywood’s A-list talent. It was also evident of the feminist bent of Raimi’s work, as he has been much more active in giving good roles to actresses than many of his contemporaries.

7

‘The Evil Dead’ (1981)

Starring Bruce Campbell and Ellen Sandweiss

The Evil Dead is the film that started it all for Raimi, as it is certainly one of the greatest directorial debuts of all time. Despite the fact that Raimi had essentially no money and only a limited setting, he conspired with Campell to create a shocking, gnarly horror film that would instantly rank among the scariest ever made.

The Evil Dead is an inspirational film for many young filmmakers, as it is proof that a good story and a bit of creativity are all that is needed to find success. Although Raimi would return to the franchise and its characters several times for sequels that grew more ambitious, it’s a testament to the inherent gifts that he has as an artist that the film is just as entertaining today over four decades prior when it was first released in theaters.

6

‘Darkman’ (1990)

Starring Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand

Darkman is one of the most underrated superhero films ever made, as Raimi’s inability to attain the rights to make his version of The Shadow resulted in him making an original character. Liam Neeson gave the breakout performance of his career as a scientist who is scarred after an attack by criminals, which leads him down a path of revenge. Although Darkman is certainly quite pulpy in its approach, it’s also a surprisingly effective character drama that benefits from the terrific performances from Neeson and Frances McDormand.

Darkman is a thriller with terrific setpieces and tension, but Raimi’s horror influences are evident within some of the more graphic sequences of dismemberment. Darkman proved that independently created superhero films had the potential to surpass those made by Marvel or DC, as without any source material to bind him, Raimi was free to create a totally unique universe where he could rewrite all the rules.

5

‘Army of Darkness’ (1992)

Starring Bruce Campbell and Embeth Davittz

Army of Darkness is one of the most subversive movie sequels ever made, as Raimi ditches the “cabin in the wood” premise of the first two installments in the Evil Dead trilogy to create a goofy fantasy adventure where Ash goes back in time to the Middle Ages.

Army of Darkness features some of the best miniatures, puppets, makeup, and visual effects work of any of Raimi’s films, as well as an incredible comedic performance by Campbell that may be his single best. Despite how radically different it is from the first two films in terms of tone and setting, Army of Darkness finds a touching and emotional way to wrap up Ash’s story when he returns to the present. It ranks alongside The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi

as one of the best movie trilogy conclusions ever.

4

‘A Simple Plan’ (1998)

Starring Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton

A Simple Plan is unlike any other Raimi film, as this gritty crime drama explores the consequences of greed and the corruptive nature of capitalism. Billy Bob Thornton delivered a powerful performance that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, but it was the nuanced, complex role from the late great Bill Paxton that made A Simple Plan such an instant classic.

Raimi shows a great deal of patience in how he constructs the tension within A Simple Plan, as he is able to make each scene of gradual development as anxiety-inducing as possible. Restraint isn’t usually a word that is associated with Raimi’s style of outrageous comedy, but A Simple Plan is a terrific exercise in morality, betrayal and consequences that warrants comparison to the great filmmakers of the “Golden Age of Hollywood,” such as Alfred Hitchcock and Billy Wilder.

3

‘Spider-Man’ (2002)

Starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst

Spider-Man was about as perfect of a superhero origin story as possible, as fans of Stan Lee’s Marvel Comics had been waiting since the character first debuted in the 1960s to see the web-slinger finally appear on the big screen. Raimi created a heartfelt emotional story that allowed Tobey Maguire to be a shy, geeky introvert who is gifted with the opportunity to be a hero; it’s as faithful of an adaptation as fans could have hoped for.

Spider-Man is fearlessly optimistic and delightfully silly, showing that Raimi had a real sense of affection for the source material. In addition to launching the famous quote of “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility,” the original Spider-Man also revealed one of the greatest supervillains ever with Willem Dafoe’s mesmerizing turn as Norman Osborn, who would be transformed by a horrific accident into the terrifying Green Goblin.

2

‘Spider-Man 2’ (2004)

Starring Tobey Maguire and Alfred Molina

Spider-Man 2 is one of the rare sequels that is better than its predecessor in nearly every way, even though the first Spider-Man was already a great film. The sequel created a more challenging story in which Peter is forced to choose between living a normal life and remaining a superhero, a decision that grows more challenging when his relationship with Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) becomes more complicated as she begins considering marriage to another man.

Spider-Man 2 features some of the best action in any superhero film, including a train chase in New York City that still hasn’t been topped. The film also benefited from a terrific performance by Alfred Molina as Dr. Otto Octavian, the former mentor of Peter who transforms into the supervillain known as “Doc Ock” after a horrific accident claims the life of his beloved wife.

1

‘Evil Dead II’ (1987)

Starring Bruce Campbell and Sarah Berry

Evil Dead II is quite simply one of the greatest horror films ever made, as Raimi managed to take everything that has worked about the first film and amplified it. Although Evil Dead II introduced a snarky sense of humor that was more prominent than it was in its predecessor, it also featured more horrific imagery that was enough to send chills down the spines of even the most loyal horror film buffs.

Evil Dead II managed to do everything and anything possible with the premise, as Raimi’s increased budget allowed him to pull off more elaborate stunts and scares. Although the Evil Dead franchise has managed to continue with a remarkable degree of consistency, it is still hard to imagine that anything will top the masterpiece that is Evil Dead II to be the single greatest entry in the series.

NEXT: The Highest-Grossing Sam Raimi Movies