Thirty years ago, the third part of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy opened to wide release, in a radically different style from the previous films. Army of Darkness is set in the Middle Ages, where Bruce Campbell’s eternally suffering Ash Williams must become a hero to defend against an army of the undead, brought to life in stunning stop motion. Whereas the first Evil Dead was a gruesome horror film and the sequel added comedy elements, Army of Darkness is a bonafide comedy slapstick film without it ever feeling too radical of a switch. You can thank Sam Raimi’s excellent blend of style and tone for that, and it’s this signature switch between horror and comedy, forever keeping that fine line balanced, that defined his later works such as the Spider-Man trilogy, Drag Me To Hell and last year’s Doctor Strange 2.
If Evil Dead Rise has intrigued you, then you can’t go wrong with watching the original set of films. Army of Darkness serves as the light-hearted but still unique and daring final instalment, a total blast of fresh air after two films of dark cabins and with iconic lines, you’ll be quoting long after the film’s over. “This…is my boomstick!”
Watch the trailer for Army of Darkness here, Via Trailer World:
