"Army of Darkness"- The biggest, broadest and zaniest of the "Evil Dead" film trilogy. Just a darned good time all around.

Rating: 8/10 (26 November 2016)

Since the first entry roared onto screens in 1981, the "Evil Dead" franchise has been a special and important one for fans of the deranged and the ridiculously hilarious. A series built around an expert mixture of laugh-out-loud comedy and disgusting gory horror, Sam Raimi's cult classic film (and now television) series is B-movie royalty, with an ever-growing and ever-rabid fanbase. However, even with a bigger-budgeted 2013 reboot and a popular new Starz television series, perhaps the most ambitious and broad entry in the "Evil Dead" saga is still the 1992 swashbuckling epic "Army of Darkness"- the third theatrical release.
We pick up right on the heels of the whacked-out climax seen in "Evil Dead II"- our cynical, oafish hero Ash (Bruce Campbell) is sucked through a magical portal and lands back in time in the Middle Ages. After running afoul Lord Arthur's (Marcus Gilbert) men and proving himself worthy by battling "Deadites", Ash is sent on a mission to collect the dreaded Necronomicon in order to use its spells to send him back to his proper time. However, through a bit of complete idiocy, Ash not only collects the book, but also raises a massive, malevolent force- the Army of Darkness. And so, he must assist Arthur in training his men to face this vile threat, and try to stop the Deadite hordes once and for all in order to get back home...
The film absolutely belongs to star Campbell and director Raimi, who take their low-budget tricks and ramp them up to the next level thanks to a bigger budget and studio backing. Campbell is a B-movie god for a reason, and that is because he's just so much fun, no matter what. His amusing over-acting and sarcastic cool- guy demeanor make him just a blast and a half to behold, especially when paired with such great material. He plays Ash not quite as an "everyman", so much as a "likable jerk." He's the sort-of character you wanna sock in the jaw one moment for acting so deplorable, but then take out for a beer in the very next when he says something clever and amusing. And Campbell's definitely born to play the role.
Sam Raimi excels with his trademark kinetic and off-kilter style and crafts a brilliantly entertaining tale. Part of the reason I and so many others worship him is for his rampant talent and willingness to put the audience's entertainment and emotional state first and foremost in his aim... whether it be with a gritty thriller like "A Simple Plan", a superhero epic like "Spider-Man 2" or indeed a bizarre "Three Stooges"-meets-Swashbuckler epic like "Army of Darkness", he commits. His keen use of brilliant slapstick humor and sharp dialog shine, and he delivers yet another creepy-yet-comedic masterpiece.
The supporting cast is just perfect. Marcus Gilbert plays it straight as Lord Arthur, who is a good sort-of straight-guy foil to Ash's buffoonery. Ian Abercrombie and Embeth Davidtz add a degree of class and elegance in their respective roles as a Wise Man working for Arthur and a young woman who quickly catch's Ash's eyes. And Richard Grove rounds out the cast quite nicely as Duke Henry, a sort-of rival that Arthur is strongly against, and blames for much of his troubles. There's also some nice cameos by Ted Raimi and Bridget Fonda in small but memorable turns. Add to that an amusing and wild score courtesy Joseph LoDuca and Danny Elfman, the gorgeous cinematography of Bill Pope and the creepy and eerie effects of KNB and you have just a perfect team to build this third chapter in the "Evil Dead" story.
While it may falter here and there due to some studio-mandated re- edits and cuts and the fact that despite its own excellence, it can't quite reach the insane brilliance of "Evil Dead II", "Army of Darkness" is still a very worthwhile continuation of the much- beloved cult-favorite series. It's a joy to see Ash once again, and it delivers the screams and the laughs at a mile-a-minute. And for that, I must give it a very good 8 out of 10. Hail to the king, baby!