These 10 films made him a master of the genre and the big screen...

Sam Raimi Returns to horror with Send Help: These 10 films made him a master of the genre and the big screen...

Sam Raimi has returned to his horror roots with Send Help, his first pure genre film in years.

The survival thriller stars Rachel McAdams as financial strategist and survival enthusiast Linda Liddle and and Dylan O’Brien as her Nepo baby boss Bradley Preston, who find themselves stranded on a remote island after a plane crash.

While Raimi later conquered Hollywood with comic book blockbusters and prestige dramas, his career began with raw, inventive horror.

Here are his 10 must-watch movies...

The Evil Dead (1981)

Raimi announced himself with this no-budget shocker, shot on 16mm with friends in a remote cabin. The film follows five students tormented by demonic forces after reading from the Necronomicon. Its frantic camera work, inventive gore and relentless pacing rewrote the rules of low-budget horror. The Evil Dead didn’t just launch a franchise — it introduced Raimi’s signature visual style and fearless imagination.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Often regarded as one of the greatest superhero sequels ever made, Spider-Man 2 deepened Peter Parker’s emotional struggle while delivering iconic action. Raimi leaned into character over spectacle, crafting a story about sacrifice, burnout and identity. The film earned widespread acclaim and solidified Raimi as a filmmaker who could elevate genre storytelling.

Drag Me to Hell (2009)

After years in blockbuster territory, Raimi returned to horror with this gleefully vicious curse movie. Starring Alison Lohman, Drag Me to Hell blends gross-out scares with moral fable and dark humour. The film feels like Raimi unleashed — fast, cruel, funny and unapologetically nasty — reminding audiences where his heart truly lies.

Darkman (1990)

Before comic-book cinema dominated Hollywood, Raimi created his own pulp superhero. Starring Liam Neeson, Darkman tells the story of a scientist disfigured by gangsters who reinvents himself as a vengeful vigilante. Gothic, violent and emotionally charged, the film bridged Raimi’s horror sensibilities with mainstream storytelling — paving the way for his later superhero success.

Evil Dead II (1987)

Part sequel, part remake, Evil Dead II perfected Raimi’s horror-comedy balance. Bruce Campbell’s Ash becomes a fully formed icon as the film leans harder into slapstick, surrealism and inventive gore. The exaggerated camerawork, elastic tone and fearless physical comedy cemented Raimi as a filmmaker who could terrify and amuse in equal measure.