Army of Darkness (1993)

Army of Darkness is where Ash Williams becomes the larger-than-life hero people usually imagine when they think of this franchise. The original Evil Dead was a raw horror nightmare, and Evil Dead II pushed the comedy much further. Here, Sam Raimi throws Ash into a medieval fantasy adventure and lets Bruce Campbell embrace every bit of the character's arrogance and ridiculous charm.

I love the energy of the movie. It has Deadites and supernatural threats, but it feels as much like an action adventure as a horror film. The setting gives Raimi room for big battles, strange creatures and physical comedy on a scale that the cabin movies couldn't have supported. It's an unusual direction for a third installment, and I think the boldness is a major part of its appeal.

Campbell is the biggest reason it works. Ash has become a hero who thinks he's much more capable than he really is, and the performance knows exactly how to play that contrast. The one-liners are legendary for a reason. They give the character a recognizable personality, and the timing makes even his most ridiculous moments entertaining.

I also appreciate the practical effects. The creatures have a wonderful handmade quality, and the skeletal armies give the film a different kind of horror imagery from the possession movies. Some of the animation and effects show their age, but the inventiveness is still obvious. I would rather watch a movie take big creative risks than play everything safe.

The humor may be too broad for someone looking for the relentless terror of The Evil Dead. There are scenes that function almost entirely as slapstick. I don't mind because the franchise had already proven it could be frightening, and this gives Ash a chance to become something else.

Army of Darkness is a wild, endlessly quotable film that has earned its cult reputation. It might be further from traditional horror than the earlier movies, but the imagination and Bruce Campbell's performance make it a great time.

Army of Darkness is easily my favorite of the early Evil Dead movies. I know that probably sounds strange because it is the least frightening of them, but that is a big part of why I enjoy it. It's a ridiculous adventure full of monsters, battles and jokes, and I can watch it without feeling miserable for the entire movie.

I love Ash in this one. He is funny, confident and sometimes completely full of himself. Bruce Campbell has so many great one-liners that I finally understood where all those familiar quotes came from. I'd heard some of them for years without realizing just how many were from this movie.

The medieval setting makes everything feel different. Instead of another night in a creepy cabin, Ash is dealing with castles, strange people and armies of the dead. There are still gross creatures, and a few things made me wince, but most of the time I was entertained by how silly the whole situation became.

I also liked that the movie doesn't pretend Ash is a perfect hero. He makes mistakes and gets himself into trouble, then acts like he's the only person who knows what to do. That makes him much more fun to watch than someone who always has an answer for everything.

The effects are old-fashioned in places, and you can tell this movie was made in a different era. That doesn't bother me. The skeletons and monsters have a personality that makes them entertaining even when they look a little silly.

I understand why someone who loves the original Evil Dead might prefer the scarier entries. The third movie has a completely different feeling. But I like that it combines horror with fantasy and comedy. I can laugh at the danger rather than spending every minute waiting for something awful.

This is the one I'd happily put on again when I want to have fun with the franchise. Ash is hilarious, the adventure moves quickly, and the movie knows exactly how ridiculous it is.