A Twainian Exercise in Slapstick and Gore

Rating: 10/10 (12 July 2006)

Everyone likes Army of Darkness. You like it. Your mother likes it. That creepy kid down at the comic book store who just sits there all day dressed in black starring at the odd brown spot on the ceiling likes it. Why is that? The secret behind Army of Darkness isn't that its a sequel to the Evil Dead movies, nor is it because Bruce Campbell is super sexy or Sam Raimi is the greatest director ever (I'd say third greatest).
I think the the appeal of the movie comes from the sheer enthusiasm displayed throughout the picture. Every frame of this movie reeks with pure undiluted fun, transferred from the actors and director straight into your seat. They take all the badassery they could muster and inject it into the movie, right through the eye.
Army of Darkness doesn't have state of the art effects, nor an entirely coherent plot. It isn't a horror story, nor a medieval epic. What this film is is a testament to the idea of cinema being pure fun, without pretensions of anything else, and to that it must be commended.
If you like smiling, I highly recommend this movie.