The Third in the Evil Dead Story...

Rating: 8/10 (7 May 2007)

After Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell), housewares, is transported back through time and space, he finds himself in a village that must fight the Evil Dead (the Deadites). To defeat them and create a portal back to the future, Ash must retrieve the Neconomicon and face great peril: miniature versions of himself, demons and other baddies.
Usually a film of this caliber would not get such a high rating. The acting is cheesy, the plot rather weak and the costumes are poorly constructed (no one can possibly believe this is 1300). Even the dialog is unusual and the camera shots (a Raimi staple) are just not very solid. But somehow the film pulls it all off -- making the viewer believe that all this was done intentionally (and apparently Hollywood believed it, too, since they gave Raimi the Spider-Man franchise).
We get more of the slapstick humor we found in "Evil Dead II" and the Bruce Campbell many horror fans have grown to love. Only now he is trapped in medieval times. This is clearly the lesser of the three films (the horror element is lessened and the humor aspect raised, which I think hurts the overall feel). Yet, you'll find it hard to watch one without the other.
Bill Moseley makes an appearance as the Evil Deadite Captain. You can't tell it's him, and I'm willing to bet many horror fans who love Moseley are not aware of his part in this film. It's an odd paradox: "Army of Darkness" is probably a better loved film than "Texas Chainsaw Massacre II", but Moseley is better known from the latter (and now "Devil's Rejects"). Confront Bill about this if you ever run into him.
Bridget Fonda also makes a very brief appearance. It's very strange... but maybe not so strange once you've seen her in "Jackie Brown". That Fonda clan is a strange bunch...
But anyway, lacking a great plot or gore or nudity or even professional acting, this film shines and will remain a cult favorite long after I'm dead. As much as I'd love to tear it apart for the critical flaws, I just can't: my love for it is right up there with the love from the other fanboys. All I can hope is that they eventually get around to an "Evil Dead IV" (which I guess will never happen now that they've approved "Spider-Man VI"...)