Army of Darkness

UPC: 025192019968

Studio: Universal Studios

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Violence, Questionable for Children, Profanity, Sexual Situations]

Summary: The third in director Sam Raimi's stylish, comic book-like horror trilogy that began with The Evil Dead (1982), this tongue-in-cheek sequel offers equal parts sword-and-sorcery-style action, gore, and comedy. Bruce Campbell returns as the one-armed Ash, now a supermarket employee ("Shop Smart...Shop S-Mart") who is transported by the powers of a mysterious book back in time with his Oldsmobile '88 to the 14th century medieval era. Armed only with a shotgun, his high school chemistry textbook, and a chainsaw that mounts where his missing appendage once resided, the square-jawed, brutally competent Ash quickly establishes himself as a besieged kingdom's best hope against an "army of darkness" currently plaguing the land. Since the skeleton warriors have been resurrected with the aid of the Necronomicon (the same tome that can send Ash back to his own time) he agrees to face the enemy in battle. Ash also finds romance of a sort along the way with a beautiful damsel in distress, Sheila (Embeth Davidtz), and contends with his own doppelganger after mangling an important incantation. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Category: Horror

Features: Creating the Deadites - Explore the groundbreaking visual effects work that created the ghastly legions of undead
Alternate ending
Blu-Ray exclusives: U-Control
Production photos

Army of Darkness

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 09/15/2009

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DHMA null, DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo

Runtime: 81 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: French,Spanish

Karl Williams

An excellent tongue-in-cheek horror film that's loosely a sequel to the cult favorite Evil Dead pictures, this larger budgeted follow-up fails to capitalize as well as it might have on its delightful high-concept premise. That's a criticism targeted strictly to non-horror buffs, however; true genre fans probably won't even notice, given the accepted paucity of intelligent plotting in most horror outings. Besides, an abundance of dandy dialogue, pop cultural references, and imaginative action sequences nearly enough makes up for a story that occasionally disappoints. Bruce Campbell returns in the role of the heroic Ash, a part that the actor performs once again with panache, reminding his followers and non-fans alike what a shame it is that the likable, square-jawed B-movie impresario hasn't been elevated to A-list leading man status as of yet. Director Sam Raimi takes it a little easier on the stylish camera work, seamlessly blending the visuals into his story telling, maturing as a filmmaker, but still a gleeful enough fan himself to inject some stop-motion critters straight from the Ray Harryhausen school of special effects. The film's other credits are impressive: music from the great Danny Elfman and a supporting cast that includes classy actress Embeth Davidtz of Schindler's List (1993), of all people. It's not for everyone but for the heavy metal-rock & roll-loving, horror movie-devoted populace, Army of Darkness (1993) will satisfy their jonesing for a good cinematic time. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Bernard Rose  Actor 
Don Campbell  Actor 
David O'Malley  Actor 
Ira Belgrade  Actor 
Josh Becker  Actor 
Andy Bale  Actor 
William Lustig  Actor 
Bill Moseley  Actor 
Ivan Raimi  Actor 
Ron Zwang  Actor 
Joseph Lo Duca  Composer (Music Score) 
Danny Elfman  Composer (Music Score) 
Ivan Raimi  Screenwriter 
Sam Raimi  Director 
Sam Raimi  Screenwriter 
Robert Tapert  Producer 
Bruce Campbell  Actor 
Embeth Davidtz  Actor 
Marcus Gilbert  Actor 
Ian Abercrombie  Actor 
Richard Grove  Actor 
Michael Earl Reid  Actor 
Timothy Patrick Quill  Actor 
Bridget Fonda  Actor 
Patricia Tallman  Actor 
Theodore Raimi  Actor 
Deke Anderson  Actor 

Country: USA