Ash Williams and his girlfriend, Linda, retreat to a secluded cabin in the woods for a romantic getaway. Upon arrival, they discover a tape recorder left by the previous occupant, a professor who was studying the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, also known as the Book of the Dead. The tape contains recitations of ancient incantations that, when played, unwittingly unleash demonic forces. Linda becomes possessed by the malevolent spirits, forcing Ash to confront her. The escalating supernatural events trap Ash in a nightmarish struggle as he faces the malevolent dead that have been awakened by the dark powers of the book.

The chaos intensifies when the professor's daughter, Annie, arrives at the cabin, with her research partner, Ed; and two locals, Bobby Joe and Jake, in tow. They bring pages of the Necronomicon, hoping to continue the professor's research. Unaware of the unearthly turmoil that has transpired, the group's arrival compels Ash to grapple with both human and demonic adversaries. The cabin becomes a battleground of mayhem as the evil forces possess and manipulate the environment and inhabitants, relentlessly seeking to claim more souls.