What makes the Evil Dead franchise stand out?

It stands out for me because I think Bruce Campbell is a hunk of burnin’ love. :)
Now,Bubba Hotep? That was something else. XD

His “BOOM STICK”!

I agree with @lucillelucillelucille I’d like some of that sugar….I think it’s funny- everything is just so exaggerated. I don’t usually watch much of that kind of stuff, but an ex got me hooked on it.

I’m torn about my answer. I had a dream about Bruce and I think it changed my mind about him a little. To set up for the dream story, I will tell you that I am allergic to shellfish.
So, I’m in a hotel bar with Bruce, in a booth that’s as in the middle of the room as you can get. People are walking by and steering clear of him (even though it’s Bruce Campbell) because he’s talking to everyone like a smarmy used car salesman. A waitress sets a shrimp cocktail down in front of him and says, “Compliments of the House Manager, sir.” He immediately pushes it toward me and says, “Here, darlin’. I got this for you.” I said, ” That’s really thoughtful, Bruce, but I’m allergic. I f I eat that I could easily die. But thank you for thinking of me,” and I pushed it back toward him. He let out an aggravated sigh and said, “How do you know? Come on, just try it. See, you need to learn to be more appreciative of things people do for you.” He says all this while holding a shrimp by the tail and my wrist with his other hand. He starts to push the shrimp toward my mouth like he’s gonna force-feed it to me, and then I woke up. I used to dig him unequivocally. Now, I hope Bubba Ho-Tep isn’t on so I won’t feel compelled to stop and watch it. Brrruuuuuuuuucce!

It’s a brilliant franchise to be sure, but over the top gore and freaky sexualized situations aren’t exactly original in the horror movie genre, and frankly, those specific things have been done better in other films. The chainsaw hand was a first for me though…

Army of Darkness, if you remove Bruce, is actually a really lame movie, though with The Chin, it comes off as genius. There’s your answer. From the first film, Bruce was clearly the standout. He was able to mix wit and arrogance with soap opera good looks and play it just straight enough, and just off the wall enough, that Ash became one of the enduring characters in recent memory. Army of Darkness really was a vessel for him, with lines that seemed tailor made for his unique sense of humor. In a similar vein, why was “Jack of all Trades” a good show? Bruuuccceee…

On a side note, never EVER watch the director’s cut of Army of Darkness. I really don’t know what they were thinking. It seems like every good line was replaced with something completely pointless. Just where the original release gives you a killer Ash line to pick up a sagging storyline, the director’s cut drops a boring cliche on you.

“Good. Bad. I’m the guy with the gun” is replaced with “I’m not that good”
“Yeah. And maybe I’m a Chinese jet pilot” becomes “I need more men”

Plus the S-Mart scene at the end is replaced with the “I SLEPT TOO LONG!” ending, which doesn’t involve shotguns with unlimited ammo, she-demons, or anyone giving anyone else any sugar.

@Smashley I’ll agree with just about everything you said, but I think the “Slept Too Long” ending is more ‘Ash’ than the S-Mart ending. It also makes more sense in the context of the movie.

@mrentropy Perhaps the ending is more “Ash,” as in it shows his bumbling idiocy, but it’s hardly the fun of the S-Mart ending. It has no classic one liners and no over the top violence, which I see as staples of the franchise. Maybe it does make a little more sense, as well, but we’re talking about a film that involves a man being sucked through a dimensional portal, winding up in ye olde times and fighting an army of demons with a shotgun (where does he find the ammo?) and with little blacksmithing experience and primitive tools, making himself a working metal prosthetic hand. I’m willing to cut the film a little slack for the sake of the entertainment value.

there are many aspects to a film. one of tghe great things is that it doesn’t need to all be tight-assed smug film critic reviews. the evil dead films are FUN!!! that can cover lack of money for the best F/X, cameras and film, location, ... the evil dead is FUN!!! when it goes to the areas that normally say: ‘rediculus’ the evil dead can suspend your disbelief. and not only was i willing to let it, i was willing to help it if necesary.
this suspension of disbelief can really come off with masters. they’re like the best magicians. bruce cambell is one of these. simmon peg [of ‘hot fuzz’ and ‘saun of the dead’] did it in ‘run fat boy, run’. and rob schinider can do it in ‘the animal’ and ‘duce bigaloo’. you like these guys. even when they’re sob’s. most acters playing these sob’s will not be forgiven but there’s something about these guys where we say: ‘welllll… okay.’
as for the s-mart ending i rank it as one of the funniest scenes ever. a demon possessed woman is stalking a red head. buce campbell [ash] grabs a gun, fires it, and says: ‘lady, i’m afraid i’m going to have to ask you to leave the store.’
i made a dvd [just a little over 2 hours] of the things which i feel are funniest from movies and tv. this scene is on there.
the evil dead films are fun. they allow one to suspend disbelief not only easily but willingly.
and those are my thoughts, no matter how boring.