Bruce Campbell kicks medieval butt in the last part of this GREAT franchise.

Rating: 7/10 (22 July 2005)

Well, one thing you can't possibly say about Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead" trilogy would be that it's dull or repetitive! The series went from hardcore horror ("The Evil Dead") to splatter comedy ("Evil Dead 2") and this final entry is almost pure slapstick with only an occasional flash of gore. Bruce Campbell, who evolved incredibly as an actor, reprises his role of chainsaw-swinging hero Ash who's now catapulted back in time to somewhere early in the medieval era. In order to get back to his supermarket job in the 20th century, he has to join and train a castle community in their battle against evil. Ash's very own clone leads the evil troops and they largely exist out of walking 'n talking skeletons. "Army of Darkness" is a very funny and light-headed film that ignores the horror in favor of funny gimmicks and cheerful swashbuckling. That's not necessarily a bad thing but it's understandable that most people rate it as the least good part of the series. Bruce Campbell, however, is terrific and this definitely is the role that defined him as the ultimate horror icon of the last two decades. Some of his quotes are already considered classic by now ("Hail to the King, Baby", "Shop smart. Shop S-Mart") and most fans are still secretly hoping for a third sequel. The "March of the Dead"-theme by Danny Elfman is splendid and Sam Raimi's direction is as professional as ever. Unlike the previous Evil Dead installments, "Army of Darkness" may not be a genre milestone but it sure remains great fun to watch it over and over again.