Army of Darkness (1992)

Directed by: Sam Raimi
Starring: Bruce Campbell

**

I really don't know where to start with this movie mostly because I'm not sure if I liked it or not. I really want to say I hated it because I don't want to fall into that cult that has deemed it a classic but at the same time fundamental aspects that make a good film are there. The film opens and immediately thrusts us and our clear-cut protagonist into a conflict. From there, he's challenged to overcome both inner and outer obstacles to get home. Along the way, he falls in love, he forms friendships and most importantly, he changes. Everything else this movie attempts however, falls pretty flat.

Ash (Campbell) gets transported through time and his only way back is to battle the living dead and retrieve a secret book. The idea of a 20th century man stuck in the middle ages creates an opportunity for humor and Army of Darkness gives it a go. Ash warns Shelia (Embeth Davidtz) that she shouldn't touch his car (transported back with him) because her primitive intellect wouldn't understand alloys and compositions and things with... molecular structures. I suppose that could be funny, but Campbell doesn't pull it off. He doesn't really pull off any of those lines.

What Campbell does have going for him is a hero complex. As he towers over the castle he's agreed to protect from the living dead, regardless of what he's saying, I felt like I could get behind him and fight. As soon as I saw how rediculous this fight turned out to be however, I'd pack up and leave.

I can't really fault the movie too much for being cheesy because most of it comes from the poor special effects. An army of skelatons wasn't really all that impressive looking in '92 and I don't really think it was Raimi's top priority. I commend him for thinking story first. Unfortunately, Army of Darkness defies the idea that a solid story trumps all because so much of this movie doesn't work, not much could save it.