“Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.” – John Lennon
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Not all movies are about making us think, some are about senseless fun. This Sam Raimi / Bruce Cambell pair-up is rife with comedic action and is my favorite way to blow an hour and a half of laughing my ass off.
Army of Darkness is the third film in the “Evil Dead” series of horror films. The first “Evil Dead” was a true horror film with a surreal tone that made it surprisingly effective considering its shoestring budget. The second film “Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn” took the concept of camp to a new level with a hilarious romp through many horror film clichés and gore so excessive that it could not be taken seriously. You don’t have to see either of these films to understand AoD, because everything that happened in them is summarized in AoD’s first five minutes.
Bruce Cambell, aka “Ash”, has been transported back into medieval times, to a place brimming with wide eyed offbeat villagers, a stuffed shirt king, and, of course, a fair maiden. Much of the fun comes from our protagonist’s modern-day attitude facing this cast. At one point in the film, he brandishes his shotgun and warns them it is his “boomstick.”
For a film with all the characteristics of a B-movie, Army of Darkness boasts one incredibly talented cast. Embeth Davidtz of Shindler’s List and The Emperor’s Club plays the heroine. Legendary composer Danny Elfman wrote the score for the film’s climax. Cinematographer Bill Pope went on to shoot the Matrix trilogy and the second Spider-man film. Even Bridget Fonda makes a cameo appearance as Ash’s girlfriend. Everyone involved has participated bigger and better things (relatively speaking where Bruce is concerned).
Sam Raimi is one incredibly under appreciated director. Even with two Spider-Man movies in his portfolio, most people still go “Huh?” when you mention this unassuming powerhouse of a filmmaker. Even in his B-movies we can see the conscious intention that went into each shot. His dynamic camera and action sequences will someday deserve the term “Raimiesque.”
Bruce Cambell is one fantastically underrated actor, and this film is a vehicle for his incredible talent. He delivers one-liner after memorable one-liner with total tongue-in-cheek machismo. His slapstick scenes put, in my opinion, Jim Carrey to shame. Watching his performance in this film makes me wish he could headline more major motion pictures (How about Evil Dead 4 after Spidey 3 Sam???).
All the classic horror-movie clichés are here. There is the “unseen evil” that chases the hero from behind the camera. One scene pays homage to “Jonathan Swift,” as miniature Ashes torment the protagonist. The film even uses stop-animation, unacceptable at such a late date in filmmaking, but adds a certain “cheese” factor to the action that heralds back to the work of special effects genius Ray Harryhausen.
While other films seek to maintain a suspension of disbelief. AoD embraces the implausibility, revels in its campy fun. Characters produce weapons like shotguns, boiling cauldrons, and horses from thin air at will. Unlimited ammunition, gas, and explosives abound. They demand abundance, cause what fun is working with reality when your dismembering armies of Evil Dead?
We watch the special effects with a knowing eye, seeing how the tricks work. A puppet explodes, the obvious super-impositions, a fake head attached to a shoulder, the split screen, dry ice, on and on. So many stage tricks honor all of the campy horror and adventure films that precede AoD.
This film is a tribute to all those fanboy entertainments, whether you get the inside jokes or not, it’s still wonderful, brainless fun.
See Also: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Bride of Frankenstein, Evil Dead 2