Army of Darkness review.
Five years after releasing their horror-comedy masterpiece, Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell returned to complete their Evil Dead trilogy. Replacing gore with slapstick action, Army of Darkness became an immediate fan favorite.
Classic movie reviews will contain spoilers.
Army of Darkness
Directed by Sam Raimi
Written by Sam Raimi and Ivan Raimi
Starring Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert and Ian Abercrombie
Army of Darkness Review
There are moments in Army of Darkness where you can’t help but think, “how did we get here?” What happened to the bloodbath of horror in that remote cabin I expect from my Evil Dead movies? Whether you love this movie or prefer your dead a bit more…evil…you must admit that the third installment of the franchise is a bit of a departure.
Even with a different approach to the material, Army of Darkness opens in pure Evil Dead fashion. They, once again, refilmed the story as we’ve seen it to this point. Fun fact: Evil Dead Rise is both the fifth movie in the series…and the fifth different distribution company to handle an Evil Dead movie. If you want to know why they keep retelling the same story…that’s why. They rarely own the rights to any of the things that they’ve previously released.
So, we see Ash take another Linda to the famous cabin and, once again, unleash hell. And then, just like with Evil Dead 2, they change the story as we knew it. Evil Dead 2 ends with Ash being thrown back to the Middle Ages. He’s immediately embraced as a savior and the key figure of a famous prophecy. Army of Darkness changes the latter part.
Ash arrives in the Middle Ages as before…and we hear chatter he may be the figure from the prophecy…but he is immediately put into chains and brought to his execution. The change doesn’t last long. Ash defeats a Deadite and impresses with his future technology to win over the adoration of the crowd and take his place as prospective savior. Basically…Army of Darkness ends up in the place where we left off…it just takes its time getting there.
From there Army of Darkness is a pure action comedy. It plays over a horror backdrop…but the excess gore and blood is gone. Taking its place is a Three Stooges slapstick approach. Ash has become a cocky, one liner spewing comic book hero…a far cry from the timid character he played in The Evil Dead. When people think of Ash Williams…this is the version they are most likely thinking about. The version of Ash that we see in Ash vs. Evil Dead is kind of like the weathered version of this one. And why wouldn’t Bruce Campbell choose to revisit it? It must be the most fun to play of the bunch.
Ash has a more overt buffoonish side to his character here. He’s easily distracted and is played as the butt of the joke as often as not. He brings danger to life with every choice he screws up. Luckily, he’s also capable of fighting off the evil he’s the cause of…so he gets to play hero in the end. It’s a bit like thanking someone for saving you from a fire they started…but that’s pretty much the overall vibe of Army of Darkness.
The Looney Tunes nature of the movie is a big reason why it is many people’s favorite of the franchise. The truth is that it’s the least likely chapter of the franchise to hold up. It does show its age in some ways…but its completely different feel from the rest of the series helps it maintain its relevance. Campbell’s turn as a fully realized superhero Ash leaves Army of Darkness as an interesting part of his decades long character arc.
Following Ash’s journey is kind of fascinating. In The Evil Dead we are introduced to a scared, largely incapable character. Evil Dead II gives him a lot more agency and heroic traits. Army of Darkness shows him at his most arrogant…and at his strongest. Fully capable. Slightly incompetent. Ash vs. Evil Dead gives us a past his prime has been who still has the capability (and incompetence) when called back to action. Given that character path…you can start to understand why this version is the most iconic one.
For an Evil Dead movie, Army of Darkness is missing a lot of what you loved. That’s ok. There are four other movies that have those things in spades. That leaves this original trilogy ending as a fascinating detour. While it can’t quite pull off its larger scale ambition, and lacks Raimi’s previous breakneck innovation, its unique blend of slapstick comedy and action is executed very well.
When it comes to its place in the series…it really depends on what you’re looking for in your Evil Dead. I’ve always understood why this chapter was so beloved. It’s, by far, the easiest one to throw on, kick back, and enjoy. If you were to show one of these movies to a non-fan…there is no question that Army of Darkness is the one that you would pull off the shelf. If this is your peak of the franchise…I get it.
For the purposes of this review…it ranks behind the previous two chapters. For all that it provides in entertainment value, it lacks in vitality. It’s an easy recommend and a great movie in its own way…but it isn’t the classic The Evil Dead is…let alone the masterpiece Evil Dead II is. That’s an incredibly high standard to measure up to. In retrospect, it makes Army of Darkness’s decision to be absolutely nothing like those moves incredibly clever. It can avoid comparison and exist in its own strange place. A place you may find more comfortable to revisit than the rest.
Don’t forget to check out our Evil Dead Week podcast…available today wherever you get your podcasts.
Scare Value
If you went into Army of Darkness expecting more of the same Evil Dead hijinks…the tone may have come as a surprise. Ash is now a full-on action hero and Bruce Campbell is in peak form. As with the rest of the series…some of the effects don’t age well…but that actually fits the movie’s intent to make you laugh more than the earlier entries. This is a lot of people’s favorite movie in the series and it’s easy to see why. Leaving the cabin of horrors and gore behind to deliver a more family friendly and pure entertainment experience leaves Army of Darkness as a pure outlier in the series. It stands out for the right reasons.
4/5
Army of Darkness Links
Rent/Buy on VOD from Vudu
Rent/Buy on VOD from Amazon
Buy on Blu-Ray from Amazon
Army of Darkness Trailer
If you enjoyed this review of Army of Darkness, check out Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva or Renfield
