Army of Darkness (1992) Reviews

Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) used to be an S-Mart employee with girlfriend Linda. They go to a cabin in the woods and Ash is pulled into a vortex and lands in the middle ages. He is taken prisoner along with Henry the Red by Arthur's men. He is thrown into the pit with the evil dead. Wiseman sends down his chainsaw and he uses it to defeat them. He becomes a feared hero and sets Henry and his men free. Sheila (Embeth Davidtz) hopes that he would battle the evil but Ash only wants to go home. He needs to quest for the book Necronomicon to return home.

This is a fun romp of a medieval horror misadventure. Sam Raimi is having fun and Bruce Campbell is the guy to deliver it. The over-confident irreverent Ash is hilarious. It's both a great comedy and a fun action adventure.

Of course, I already saw this movie, in fact, I even saw the damned thing in the movie theater when it was released but I never saw it again afterwards so I was really eager to check it out again. The most interesting thing about this 2nd sequel is that it stands out so much from its predecessors. Indeed, while the previous movies were some horror comedies, this movie was some kind of daft time-travel adventure, actually pretty similar to 'Back to the Future Part III', and in fact, I believe that this movie can be quite enjoyable for kids around 12 years old while the rest of the Evil Dead franchise could be hardly considered as some family viewing material. I think it was a really nice move from Sam Raimi to go with something completely different because most sequels keep endlessly repeating the same formula every time again with some usually rather disappointing results (as a matter of fact, there are some debates that 'Evil Dead II' could be in fact a remake and not an actual sequel to 'The Evil Dead'). Still, even though Ash was fun with a solid Bruce Campbell, at the end of the day, it remains a really silly movie. Furthermore, even if I must have loved the climatic fight scene against the army of darkness when I first watched it as a kid many many years ago, this time around, I thought it took much of the running time and it became rather boring and repetitive at some point. At least, Embeth Davidtz was easily the best love interest in this franchise, by far. To conclude, even though this movie might not be a classic, it was still a decent watch and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre. 

This film certainly is among my favorites, I must have seen 30 times or more, despite knowing of the existence of several heroes in movies, comics and TV series, the character of bruce campbell in my conception of a child with 11 years, represented for me the model of hero that even today I love it.
Above all, this film represents to me a simpler time, where I had no idea how happy I was.

This movie defined me as a "B" movie watcher, gave me my nickname (Boomstick) that had 3 different meanings (a tri-entendre???), and gave me enough catch phrases to humour the masses since the early 90's.

Enough said.

Take your brain out, and enjoy this classic.

I watched this movie in my mythology class to help explain the evolved status of an current Epic Hero. Ash captures this essence greatly. Magical, futuristic weapons, a great orator, lonely path he must go alone, an enemy only he can defeat, you get my drift. Overall, the movie was hilarious with the corny jokes and dialogue. Definitely worth watching, highly suggested.

Good, bad... I'm the one with the shotgun.
Yo, she-bitch. Let's go!

Much less of an movie, and more of an adventure! Taken back through the Neckronomicon to the middle ages along with your favorite one-armed bad ass is the third installment in the Evil Dead series. A completley different tale than that of the first two, almost stands by itself as oppose to a chapter in a series. Of course there are scares and an army of the undead, but as far as the overall creepiness goes to the old cabin, this film doesn't have that in the slightest. Not like it's a bad thing, it just a different approach to display the character of Ash as played by Bruce Campbell. Much more mature and ready for battle with everything from miniature versions of himself, his evil half, and thousands of deadites returning to capture the necronomicon for their master, Evil Ash. The humor and fight sequences in this film make it a hard one to watch only once; and out of all the people i have talked with about this movie, everyone of those people love it.

Ash: Lady, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave the store.
Possessed woman: Who the hell are you?
Ash: Name's Ash.
[cocks rifle]
Ash: Housewares.

''Ok you Primitive Screwheads, listen up! You see this? This... is my boomstick! The 12-gauge double-barreled Remington. S-Mart's top of the line. You can find this in the sporting goods department. That's right, this sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Retails for about $109.95. It's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger. That's right. Shop smart. Shop S-Mart. You got that?''


A man is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., where he must battle an army of the dead and retrieve the Necronomicon so he can return home.

Bruce Campbell: Ash

Army of Darkness is a perfect rendition of a cult classic. If you go anywhere and ask if anyone has heard of it, they'll give you a puzzled expression. But search the web or meet any Horror enthusiast and you'll see that there are Evil Dead maniacs lurking out there, and I am proud to say that I am among these individuals.
Most trilogies tend to turn sour by the third film, Godfather 3 and The Mummy Series to name a few, but here Darkness manages to make itself a stand alone film and a fine damn one at that. It still has it's nods to the original Evil Dead, but if you're looking for the ultimate horror experience, then this film may not be it. Instead Darkness is full of comedic dialogue and antics. Our hero Ash spits out classic one-liners that so many people try to copy today...I'm looking at Austin Powers here.



Bruce Campbell is ASH. His character evolves throughout the trilogy and it's in this third installment that he is the ultimate kick ass hero. It's in this third installment that everyone remembers him from. It's in this third installment where he has the chainsaw, the boomstick, the one-liners, the sugar, the hot damsel. Campbell will always be known for this one character. He's such a coward and yet we still feel the need to cheer him on. Campbell is the master of physical comedy and he uses it to his advantage here, fighting an army of mini Ashes, splitting away from his evil self and getting his face sucked down an unknown demon hole from a book.

''Oh you little bastards! All right, I'll crush each and every last one of ya! I'll squash you so hard you'll have to look down to look up!''

Speaking of which, that's what makes the film even more enjoyable. It's insane bizarre comedic tone. Whether you like slapstick comedy or have a dark funny bone, this film is delightful for all. I never thought I would laugh so much at someone pouring boiling hot water down their throat. Then to have the thing grow inside of you and try to detach itself from your body, only in a movie like this can you watch that and laugh with it. Granted, it would help if you've seen the first two films and in order as well. The opening does give you a recap of what's happened, but you feel more for the film and Ash if you've been through the horrors alongside him.

Much like Peter Jackson got his start in the horror movie genre, so did Sam Raimi, as stated in other reviews of Evil Dead. You know, the guy that went on to direct such big hits as Spiderman,Spiderman 2, even Dark Man. Army of Darkness has the little Sam Raimi magic touch. Once you see it you can tell that it's Raimi behind the lens. Raimi has his brothers scattered throughout the film, playing many different characters at that. As well as Three Stoogies get ups and the POV of certain objects, such as arrows being shot or forks being thrown.

''Into the pit with those bloody-thirsty sons of whores!''

The first movie was Evil Dead then came Evil Dead II and finally this little rare gem, Army of Darkness. The first one was almost pure horror, while the second interjected some humor here and there, but was still mainly a horror while this one has very little horror at all and is more of an action comedy. Once again this movie sort of picks off where the previous movie leaves off, sort of as we have our hero Ash transported back to medieval times where he is mistaken for a member of an opposing army. The previous movie had him hailed as a hero right away, but here he is taken prisoner and forced to fight the evil dead in a very cool pit fighting scene. He quickly wins the respect of the ones who tried to kill him and he is sent on a quest to fetch a book that has the ability to send away the evil dead and help him get back to his own time. What ensues are some very funny scenes and a rather big battle at the end which is also rather funny, lets face it seeing a guy picking up obvious fake skeletons and acting like they are attacking is just humorous. Bruce Campbell is great in this movie, however no one else in the cast really sticks out all that much except for the main villain who also just happens to be Bruce Campbell. Still he carries this movie and he is enough for one funny action horror movie.

One aspect saves Army of Darkness from being ridiculous, and that is it's fully aware of it's own flaws. Sam Raimi is by my opinion a genius in every sense, and manages to turn the sometimes terrible special effects into a vital part of the movies sick dark humour. It's not bad, it's just not taking itself very seriously because that is the point! This movie is far from a low budget blunder. It's got a great plot, a great cast and it's got countless laughs. Also an option for two alternative endings, my favourite being a futuristic twist one that is also Sam Raimi's preferred conclusion.

''Gimme some sugar, baby.''

"My name is Ash and I am a slave. As far as I can figure, the year is thirteen hundred A.D and I'm being dragged to my death."

Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead trilogy at long last concluded with Army of Darkness. When it came to sequels to his cult favourite low-budget horror/comedy hybrid, Raimi never imbued them with any solid chronological obligations. In fact, the second Evil Dead film (Dead by Dawn) is merely a bigger budget remake of the first film. Usually I loathe remakes as they can never capture the magic of the original film. Dead by Dawn, however, was a rare occurrence of a remake-come-sequel unquestionably outshining the original that spawned it. This remake-come-sequel was more definitive, more coherent, more fun and more humorous. Raimi had initially wanted it to be a straight-up sequel, and had wanted to tag a recap of the prior events of the first film, but there were legal problems and he was forced to just shoot some new footage instead.

Almost the same deal applies with Army of Darkness. There's mostly new footage tagged onto the beginning to set up the story so far, which helps people find their footing if they've never seen any previous Evil Dead movies. At its heart, Army of Darkness completely disregards the over-the-top violence and gore as well as the solid horror tone of its predecessors. Instead, Raimi and co aimed for a humorous action/adventure in a medieval setting. It immediately follows on from the events of the second film. The film's title deliberately didn't make any palpable references to the first two films. This was fundamentally The Evil Dead as a more commercialised and mainstream flick that could easily be devoured even if someone hadn't seen the first two movies. Instead of being influenced by horror movies, Army of Darkness is a tribute to the Three Stooges, Monty Python and Ray Harryhausen's stop motion animation. There's also a dash of Indiana Jones and some subtle Tolkien thrown in for good measure. The movie is undeniably silly beyond all comprehension, but it's proud to be as such.

There are countless dedicated fans who "get" what Raimi and co were aiming for, while others don't. Those who do "get" the movie understand that it's meant to be silly. From the outset, it was never meant to be anything more than B-Grade adventure schlock just as the previous films were merely B-Grade horror schlock. Army of Darkness isn't your customary B-Grade fare though...it's the finest example of a film designed to be a silly, humorous piece of fun that wears its cheese on its sleeve. If you want the short version, here it is: this is campy entertainment of the highest order and it demands to be seen.

"Alright you Primitive Screwheads, listen up! You see this? This... is my boomstick! The twelve-gauge double-barreled Remington. S-Mart's top of the line. You can find this in the sporting goods department. That's right, this sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Retails for about a hundred and nine, ninety five. It's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel, and a hair trigger. That's right. Shop smart. Shop S-Mart. You got that?"

Following the events of Dead by Dawn, Ash (Campbell) is sucked into a vortex that transports him back in time many hundred years to medieval England. Following Ash's abrupt arrival, he's believed to be a spy and is condemned to death. He survives the situation that is supposed to be his execution, therefore presenting himself as a saviour to the people. It has been prophesised that a "chosen one" will quest for the Necronomicon - a.k.a. "The Book of the Dead". Ash wants to be returned to his modern society, and is informed that only the Necronomicon has the power to accomplish that. Soon after this (rather unsuccessful) quest, he's called upon to defend the people against the Army of Darkness. And there's also a corny love story happening between Ash and a woman named Sheila (Davidtz).

Just like the preceding films, there's very little in the way of plot. It embraces a simple premise, and from there it's a succession of imaginative (though somewhat nonsensical) scenarios. In this case there are miniature versions of Ash attacking Ash in many different ways, a random sex scene and the very humorous final battle during which Ash must battle an army of Deadites lead by the evil version of himself. Just like its forerunners, Army of Darkness has its tongue firmly in its cheek. If you're looking for a tribute to classic horror like the two original Evil Dead flicks, you'll be very disappointed. In no way is this third part a horror movie. It may have obtained an R-rating from the MPAA, but the content is very light. The gore is never ballooned to hyperbolic proportions unfortunately. It's a straightforward tribute to the swords-and-sorcery epics that we've all come to know and love.

I witnessed a lot of moments that are seemingly inspired by Monty Python and the Holy Grail, especially in Ash's hysterical antics. No longer is Ash the snivelling, uninteresting coward from The Evil Dead, nor is he the slightly badass bloke from Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn. Now he's more sleazy and stupid. There's over-the-top slapstick and moments of absolute stupidity. The one-liners are side-splitting at times. As a result, Army of Darkness is definitely one of the most quoted films of all time...and rightfully so.

The film was made with a reasonably low budget, but it's overflowing with passion. Raimi competently combines moments of solid special effects with other moments that showcase some extraordinarily shitty special effects. The skeletal army towards the end is a classic example of this. That's the whole charm and appeal though: we're supposed to laugh at the generally poor effects on offer. It's this goofy appeal that keeps the film motoring along: it's a total balloon-sized laugh riot!

Army of Darkness is a film that clearly divides opinions. The hardcore Evil Dead fanatics generally detest it because they missed the comic horror tone and exaggerated gore. The film has almost as many detractors as it does supporters. Few people would stoop to call it their favourite Evil Dead movie, while others just don't appreciate what Raimi was trying to accomplish. While I did enjoy this film and admired Raimi's efforts, it's still the weakest in the trilogy by a long shot. Just like its predecessors, Army of Darkness soon joined the cult arena and many loyal fans still enjoy it to this day.

B-Movie king Bruce Campbell hits the ball out of the park with his portrayal of Ash. Campbell's charm perfectly suits the tone of his character. Although this is the weakest Evil Dead flick, this is by far the best version of Ash. He's snappy, witty, amusing and clever. The screenwriting duo of Sam and Ivan Raimi frequently give Campbell terrific quips that he fires off with overwhelming charisma. His catchphrases are hilarious and imitable. One can never forget the memorable "This is my boomstick!", "Shop smart. Shop S-Mart!", "Gimme some sugar, baby!", "Ooh, that's gotta hurt!", "Well, I've got news for you pal, you ain't leadin' but two things, right now: Jack and shit...and Jack just left town.", "Yo, she-bitch! Let's go!" and of course the immortal "Groovy!".
By this time in the trilogy, everyone wanted to get a laugh, and their committed attempts pay off nicely. Everyone else works in Campbell's influential shadow. No-one can equal or better him.

Overall, Army of Darkness is a fitting way to conclude Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy. As a whole, this series is almost unbeatable. "Essential" is a word I can confidently employ to describe this trilogy. All three films are campy, funny and great entertainment. Looking at the films, it's obvious that everyone had a ball making them. This fact is reflected in the performances, the terrific cinematography and the (purposely) mediocre special effects. This third instalment is overflowing with moments of comedy genius. Witness Campbell using a contemporary vehicle in the middle of a medieval battle to slice up a skeleton army (he yells "Say hello to the 21st century!!"), or even the final scene during which Campbell faces off with a hideous Deadite before getting his girl and delivering that quotable final line...

"Hail to the king, baby."

7.8/10