Groovy!

Rating: 7/10 (7 May 2008)

My Take: Some of the slapsticks may grate, but the film is still manic and wildly original.
Sam Raimi has never really been one of my favorite directors, but I've got to admit about how stylish he often is when it comes to making his movies. ARMY OF DARKNESS is the third film in the EVIL DEAD series, and since I haven't seen the first two yet, I'm reviewing simply this film, without making references or comparisons to its predecessors. But ARMY OF DARKNESS still does fill the void for those who might not seen the first film, therefore free from confusion.
The film isn't related to its predecessors either. For, while the first two films are more of horror films (or a satire of horrors), this one is also an old-fashioned sword-and-sorcery film, complete with cheesy (intentional) dialog and swashbuckling battle scenes. The good thing about it is that Raimi takes it all less seriously, and producing a number of hilarious bits as well.
Bruce Campbell reprises his role as the chainsaw-armed store clerk Ash, who is whisked into the Dark Ages, facing rival kingdoms and the army of the dead along the way. To get him back home, he must retrieve the Necronomicon, the cursed Book with the Dead, which can also prevent a small kingdom from being invaded by the "Deadites". It ends up with a final confrontation against the army of Deadites when they are awakened by their lust to get the Book of the Dead back.
Cheesy isn't it? But that's just the point. ARMY OF DARKNESS aims for a mockery, and it does a great job and rewards greatly. It's a lot of fun, with lots of in jokes and its own jokes, thanks greatly to the presence of Bruce Campbell, he's effectively funny. The 'low-budget' special effects are fun, and if you think they look cheesy, try saying that to the great Ray Harryhausen, which these effects pay homage to.
ARMY OF DARKNESS is filled with dozens of slapstick humor and lack a number of smarter wit, but even so, it's a lot of fun and craziness. Viewers, including eventual fans of the director, will enjoy the films craziness and wit, but more on the macabre style that took to create it. It's an all special effects extravaganza, but not without being an imaginative one.
Rating: ***1/2 out of 5.