Army of Darkness (1992)

My name is Ash and I am a slave. Close as I can figure, the year is thirteen hundred A.D and I'm being dragged to my death. Army of Darkness is directed by Sam Raimi and Raimi co-writes the screenplay with his brother Ivan. It stars Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert, Ian Abercrombie, Richard Grove and Timothy Patrick Quill. Music is by Joseph LoDuca and cinematography by Bill Pope. Ash (Campbell) is transported to 1300 A.D., where he must battle an army of the dead and retrieve the Necronomicon so he can return home. Unofficially it's Evil Dead III, but as the fans will atest, this is a very different animal to the two films that preceeded it. Blending high energy jinks in medieval times with comedy horror staples, it's a riotous idea that mostly works. Of course one has to accept it on its riotous terms, this for sure isn't a pic for the highbrow crowd. Though it should at least be given the chance to brighten a dark day. Campell as Ash is put through the mangler once again, with some nifty physical comedy nestling nicely with that of Ash's anachronistic verbalities. It's all breakneck stuff that's performed with a wonderfully self mocking attitude that's easy to warm to. It's a comic book brought to life and it never sags, but some of the cartoon sequence beasties sadly do look a little flat. Great fun if prepared for what type of pic it is, it's not hard to see why it is so beloved in Evil Dead fan circles. 7/10 Footnote: There are alterante ending versions, of which I have only seen the downbeat time potion one - but being the miserable sod that I am, I love this ending.