How can you idiots think this was a direct sequel?
IMDB is truly a breeding ground for stupidity.
Yes if you wanted to disregard the first fifteen minutes you could pretend that it took place after the first film, but that isn't the way they filmed it. Yes I understand why they chose to film it the way they did, but that is irrelevant.
The start of Evil Dead 2 does not recap the events of Evil Dead 1. Going to a cabin with one person is not the same thing as going to a cabin with five people. They are two different scenarios. What is so hard to understand about that?
You could say that the first segment of Evil Dead 2 is a remake of the first while the rest is a semi-sequel. You could say that the second film is a sequel that takes place in an alternate timeline. You could even just repeat to yourself "it's just a show, I should really just relax". You CANNOT, however say that Evil Dead 2 directly follows the events of Evil Dead 1. It does not. This is not up for debate.
In any case Evil Dead 1 sucks anyway. Evil Dead 2 is best taken as the first in the series. That 2 in the title is just one of those quirks that makes this movie such a unique and wonderful part of cinematic history.