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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

Army of Darkness
Anchor Bay Entertainment


9.6

based on 18 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 24 votes
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FILM:

GAMES:

Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick

MPAA RATING: R

Starring Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert, Ian Abercrombie, Richard Grove, and Bridget Fonda

Bruce Campbell stars as Ash, a hapless housewares clerk time-warped back to the Dark Ages by the demonic power of the Necronomicon. Now armed with only a '73 Oldsmobile, his trusty chainsaw and a 12-gauge double-barreled S-Mart shotgun, our knuckleheaded hero must battle vicious she-bitches, a diabolical Evil Ash and the relentless hordes of the medieval dead in the most outrageously spectacular horror comedy every made. (Anchor Bay Entertainment)

GENRE(S):	Horror
WRITTEN BY:	Sam Raimi Ivan Raimi
DIRECTED BY:	Sam Raimi
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: March 11, 2003 Video: October 12, 1999 Theatrical: February 19, 1993
RUNNING TIME:	81 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Raimi offers all the fantasy, camp and hardcore horror you devoured in the comics. You can feel the pen-and-ink drawings coming to life. Dipping wittily into myth, the macabre and the modern, it's an effervescent adventure that's as amusing as it is genuinely gripping. [19 Feb 1993, Weekend, p.n38]

Los Angeles Times Peter Rainer

Ash's dialogue keeps the movie just goofy enough that even audiences that don't go in for schlock-horror phantasmagorias will be tickled. [19 Feb 1993, Calender, p.F-8]

Washington Post Richard Harrington

Few American directors would dare to show as much over-the-top glee in their chosen craft as Sam Raimi does in Army of Darkness. [19 Feb 1993, Style, p.c7]

ReelViews James Berardinelli

No matter what your opinion is of the movie, you're unlikely to be bored.

Chicago Tribune Dave Kehr

Much of the movie's charm, in fact, is derived from its sense of its own instant disposability. Raimi has created the cinematic equivalent of fast food-efficient, unassuming and seriously regressive. It may not be much good for you in the end, but consuming it is loads of fun. [19 Feb 1993, Friday, p.C]

Film Threat Jeremy Zoss

Easily the most unique film in the trilogy, and in many ways the most fun.

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

Enjoyably campy hokum.

Empire Chris Hewitt

As a film in its own right, this quirky Ray Harryhausen tribute (a skeleton army!) rocks. As an Evil Dead film, though, it’s ultimately not funny, scary or gory enough.

Variety Staff (Not Credited)

Blending almost nonstop violence with humorous parody, Sam Raimi's latest excursion into horror-kitsch seems more like an irreverent "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court."

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

By the time Army of Darkness turns into a retread of "Jason and the Argonauts," featuring an army of fighting skeletons, the film has fallen into a ditch between parody and spectacle.

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

Fans of ultraviolent sword-and-sorcery nonsense will have a good time; others will head for the exit. [19 Feb 1993, Arts, p.10]

The New York Times Elvis Mitchell

Army of Darkness would appeal to small children if it were not also too gruesome for them, since Ash does after all wield a chain saw. [19 Feb 1993, p.C10]

TV Guide Michael Gingold

Raimi is a master at pacing this kind of material, however, and never allows it to become redundant.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

Army of Darkness has good moments and shows traces of wit right up to the end, though these moments wind up coming fewer and farther between. [19 Feb 1993, Daily Datebook, p.D1]

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

The movie isn't as funny or entertaining as "Evil Dead II," however, maybe because the comic approach seems recycled.

The New Yorker Michael Sragow

Even diehard fans may long for something to hold the tacky flourishes together—a plot, or maybe even a guide that's more lucid than the Necronomicon.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

A poor man's "Excalibur," but the fact of the matter is that the film displays far too little of the incisor-sharp wit and out-of-control mayhem readily available in the other two films. It just doesn't work.

USA Today Mike Clark

The movie runs just 80 minutes, but it's enough time for doldrums to set in when nifty special effects and funny verbal exchanges are out grabbing a smoke. [19 Feb 1993, Life, p.5D]

The average user rating for this movie is 9.6 (out of 10) based on 24 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Joel M. gave it a10:
This is the greatest B-Movie ever made.

Riren gave it a10:
The very definition of a cult movie Army of Darkness is the third movie in a series that doesn't require you to have seen a minute of the previous two installments to enjoy it. This entry into the Evil Dead series fully embraces the campiness and humor to be found in dark fantasy. It is loaded with witty lines and awkwardly funny moments that you'll be joking about with your friends for weeks afterward. Army of Darkness, like Shaun of the Dead, lives on the outskirts of Horror - not scary, not even trying to be, but instead entertaining the Hell out of Horror's target audience.

R. Dalvi gave it a10:
Amazing how the critics gave it only 57. Maybe they went in looking for another Evil Dead. But this is a classic in its own damn RIGHT! Bruce Campbell rocks! His one liners are hilarious.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
The critics gave this a 57!! Obviously the critics don't know how to just sit back and enjoy a movie. This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. It is Bruce at his best. If you dont laugh at this movie you've got serious problems and I recommend seeking professional help.

Stephen W. gave it a10:
This is as good as it gets in campy horror movies. This part was made for Bruce Cambell. It is very much a guy flick. Woman will say it is stupid. So, get some beer, invite your buddies, get the movie rolling, and do something for your girl afterwords.....But remember to tell her at least once, "That was just pillow talk, baby"....enjoy.

Mark C gave it a10:
Just me baby, just me. but seriously this is one of my favorite scary movies of all time, right up there with Return of the Living Dead.

John M. gave it a10:
Best movie i have seen in a LONG time. Its halarious, stylish, and just one hell of a good movie. A must see.

Army of Darkness Anchor Bay Entertainment

Army of Darkness
Anchor Bay Entertainment