it's funny how this movie and "They Live" later gave birth to video game protagonist Duke Nukem in ""Duke Nukem 3D" (which quoted lines from both of these movies)
The gun Ash uses in the shop (alternate ending) is not a "shot gun" but an under-lever gun which usually shoots pistol ammunition, and can hold about 15 rounds in the integrated tube magazine. Just a little nitpicking here ...
Ash Williams be more Awesome be like some of the other male characters from other franchises Josh McGrath (Max Steel) Action Man (1993) Dante Sparda (Devil May Cry) Leon Scott Kennedy (Resident Evil) John 117 (Halo) Luke Skywalker or Galen Marek (Star wars) Al Simmons (Spawn) Clay (Nexo Knight) Arkantos (Age of Mythology) Kratos (God of War) Ryu Hayabusa (Ninja Gaiden) Ash and Cheryl 20 years olds have other equivalents of other dimensions in cartoons infinity train star vs the forces of evil Little Witch academia Glitchs Techs Amphibia Owl house female characters be the Daughters of Ash Hotaru Tomoe (Sailor saturn) Chino Kafuu (gochuumon wa usagi desu ka) Tee Zeng (kung fu wa) Reggie Abbott (twelve forever) Tip (home) Gigi (underdogs united) Dot, Lotta & Audrey (harvey street kids)
Three things I didn't know when I first watched this movie as a kid: 1) This was the 3rd movie in a trilogy. 2) The Deadite commander was Evil Ash. 3) Evil Ash was Bruce Campbell.
Sam Raimi's strength as a director is that he was able to lay manic energy and tongue in cheek humor over the production weakness' so that those weakness' became strengths.
Oliver Harper My favorite line in the movie is when the skeletons are escaping the castle and one of them runs into the foreground and yells, "Let's get the hell out of here!" Not sure why, but it always cracks me up.
*OH MY GOD* that's always been my favorite line too! I know this comment is 4 years old and you may never ser it but I just HAD to respond. To this day my entire family says "Lets get the hell out of heahh!" In a high pitched fakes British accent. My mom even used to say it, and decades later my kids do too. Epic.
I watched army of darkness at the cinema when I was 14 and I totally loved it. I didn’t know it was connected to the evil dead either back then, but i remember thinking how cool a movie of the prologue would be. It’s a great movie, a lot of fun and I would watch it anytime again
i remember watching this movie around i was 5-6 years old, very cool stuff, until a few years ago i didn´t have a clue how much sam raimi movies and tv series were influential in my childhood Hercules, Xena, Spiderman Trilogy, Army of Darkness, Darkman Trilogy
Evil dead was huge in my circles as a kid and this movie was a long time coming. We had no idea it was going to be all out comedy and it was truly one of the best cinema experiences I can remember!
Absolutely love this movie, but honestly it feels more like a PG-13 film than an R rated movie any day of the week. It has only one F bomb, and the action and stuff is PG-13 level versus what the previous 2 films did.
It's complete nonsense. When he saw it was getting an R he should have went in and done what he could to put it over the top. This movie just doesn't have the balls I need in an evil dead film.
One of my personal favorites and easily a guilty pleasure, especially seeing as how this felt like a weird direction for Evil Dead to go in following on from Evil Dead II. But this movie still never fails to get many laughs as much as possible. Wonderful stuff as always Oliver.
I remember seeing _Army_ _of_ _Darkness_ on AMC when I was at least 10 in 2003. It was my first _Evil_ _Dead_ movie as well. At the time I didn't get that this was supposed to be a comedy. But as I grew up watching it more, it just became one of the funniest movies I've ever seen, and Bruce Campbell is at his most hilarious. ;D "London Bridge is falling down! Falling down! Falling dooowwwn!!! Hahahahahaha!!!"
Oliver Harper Well if you want Americans to watch it and video views, probably Holy Grail. But, If you want one with a lot of interesting back story and history, definitely Life of Brian. Meaning of Life probably isn't worth doing unless you make the other two first and there's demand. The only thing it has going is how Terry Gilliam blew most of the movie's budget on the opening scene.
***** Life of Brian is easily the best Monty Python movie if not one of the greatest comedies of all time so it'd would be great hearing some behind the scenes and perhaps mention of the extremely hostile reception that film received initially.
Oliver Harper. I cannot even begin to explain how much I enjoyed your retrospective. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the film when I first saw it. Your voice over and content was so well executed in every regard. Great work man, just great!
I never understood the thinking behind the remake. After the first Evil Dead it became obvious it was all about Bruce Campbell which is why he became the focal point. Without his cheesy delivery and grand standing the films would have fallen completely flat, as was eventually proven by the remake. I was over joyed to hear about the upcoming mini-series last week, got to love Bruce. Hail to the king, baby
preachercaine I'm looking forward to the series as well. They just released an image too of Bruce in full Ash regalia with two new sidekicks. It looks like it's going to be awesome and what we've been wanting to see ever since Army of Darkness came out. I just hope the tone is a mix of Evil Dead II and AoD and not straight horror like the first ED was.
preachercaine The remake was definitely one of the better horror movies to come out in a while. Yes it was from an already existing property, but it didn't rely on cheap jump scares like so many others, and more so seemed to want to shock its audience with violence much like the original. Plus, that ending. The chainsaw through the face was awesome enough, but while it's raining blood and the cabin is on fire in the background? Holy shit, what a shot
AOD was my first introduction to the trilogy as well and only found out years later that there were 2 films prior. This is my favorite of the series, loved the scope, the quotes, and Campbell especially. Doesn't Bruce Campbell look like a cartoon/comic character? He looks so much like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.
Easily one of my favorite movies. Even though AoD's over-the-top the entire time, it somehow manages to perfectly blend action, comedy, and B-level horror.
I remember watching this on VHS over and over again as a kiddo. I practically wore the tape out by the time I got my hands on the DVD. Thanks for the awesome review, brought back some nostalgia for me :)
I also thought Army of Darkness was a standalone film as a kid. Later on I learned it was part 3 of a trilogy. It's also weird how Evil Dead 2 is more of a remake than a proper sequel.
It's sort of a remake, but mostly a sequel. The first 5 minutes are supposed to be a recap, and then the rest of the movie is it's own thing with a new tongue in cheek tone.
It was a sequel, everything at the start up to the point where ash gets possessed is a recap. If you start the 2nd movie at that moment immediately after the first then it makes sense
Well done review Oliver! When I heard you were doing this, I was rather ecstatic. I like your overall critique of the film not afraid to point out the flaws but also addressing your overall personal opinion both as a child/adult. I love watching all your reviews and I always play them in the background on auto play. I personally loved the Evil Dead remake. Keep up the awesome work.
I love these Oliver. You deserve way more subs and love for all the beautiful work you have done in these. They are to me personal stories, insightful reviews with good solid facts and obviously retrospective that happen to be brilliant. Good work, my friend. Thank you so much.
I'm not sure I was even a teenager when I first watched, but found it absolutely hilarious with all its jokes. I've also only seen the version where Ash goes too far into the future, never the S-Mart version. I don't know if it was the American or UK release but I saw it in the UK on an Evil Dead trilogy boxset.
This movie will forever live in my memory as one of the fondest movie experiences ever. Going with my father at 10 years old, both of us so excited to see it. Playing in the arcade before seeing it. Eating popcorn and laughing, but also being slightly scared at the deadlites. It was so exciting, I can still remember it clear as day. Over the years I have owned just about every vhs/dvd/Blu-ray of this movie released. Whether a guilty pleasure, or a cult classic, this movie is a masterpeice in my heart, and the beginning of my love for the evil dead , Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi.
in college during a conversation with my psychology professor I learned he used to run a lumber mill that he rented out to the film makers as the location for the final battle scene with the castle
Love this review Oliver. I think this is one of your best videos you have ever created. Your comments and opinions are spot on too. Couldn't have said it better myself. Keep up the awesome work!
Actually saw this in the movie theatre when it was originally released. I don't think my friend liked it, but it always stuck with me! My favorite line: "This... is my BOOMSTICK!" Cracks me up every time! (And the "Klatuu Barrada Nic ")
Yeah! My cousin & I watched Army of Darkness at the cinema in Australia, helping the movie recouping its costs. To those US people who didn’t support this film over there: what is wrong with you?
I think @24:09 sums up Ash altogether. This cat is indestructible. He spent about 2 weeks fighting the Evil Dead, cuts his arm off and then has enough juice to fight the Evil Dead in England but get some ass too.
Awesome synopsis to one of my fave films. I too have watched it far too many times, it's a staple of late night sessions along with Dark Angel (aka. I Come In Peace) and Withnail and I, but Campbell being the coolest guy on the planet... groovy!
I actually just seen Evil Dead 2 literally a few months before Army of Darkness came out. I was so relieved because the end of Evil Dead 2 left me with an overwhelming feeling of being marooned. Course, I was a child at the time.
I saw a short segment on a news tv show about Evil Dead 2 when I was 10 yrs old and was immediately hooked. When I saw the movie a few months later I was both terrified and fascinated. When Army of Darkness finally came out, I forced my dad to take me to this tiny, grimy theater to see Army of Darkness. That's what makes movies so wonderful: the fond memories they help to create.
You included my fav part as the start of the epilogue!!!! Lightning strikes the cross, revivify info evil ash, his pieces come together, and he goes "WOOO!" Haha!
Hello, Oliver my name is Wyatt Williams and I enjoyed your review on Army of Darkness. I'm an American from the U.S. most specifically Texas. Anyway I started watching your movie reviews last year 2014 starting with your Terminator reviews and I liked them and have been watching some of your other reviews.I am a bit of a retro-guy myself and watch films I have seen since I was a kid and still like to watch them to this very day.And I checkout reviews on youtube from people who like movies like the ones you've reviewed and it's cool to know there are other people out there who enjoy these kind of movies. Anyway I enjoyed learning a lot of that new info about stunt-women used as some of the skeletons and I knew about the deleted scenes and other versions too. Anyway good job on your review and take care Oliver.
I remember an added cut of the movie on TV, where at the beginning when he arrives..he shoots a gargoyle coming at him (like the ending in ED2), but they never put that in any of the DVD releases...idk why.
this movie is just fun all the way through and for that I absolutely love it, Sam Raimi is an excellent director and I can not wait to see what he has in store for Doctor Strange
I was a young teenager when this came out, and a huge Evil Dead fan. I had no idea it came out until I was at the movie store and there it was. Never grabbed a movie so fast, best surprise ever.
Although as movies parts 1 y 2 of Evil Dead trilogy are better, "Army of Darkness" is the funniest. I was first introduce in the mythology by this films and later I watch the other chapters. Fingers cross that here in Chile (and the rest of South America) we could see the series as soon as possible. Again, thank you Oliver for given us another hit in your collection.
It's very interesting to hear it from a "saw AoD first" pov. I was one of the EDII fanatics AND I live in the US of A, so I can honestly say I was in tears by the windmill scene when I went opening weekend for AoD. I started with EDII, so even seeing the original ED was a shock, but it prepared me for the mood/tone shift the series could take, but I never imagined they would go so far into slapstick. It was painful, seeing one of the edgiest horror film franchises become this goofy, faux-Stooges mess. Put yourself in my place and imagine the daydreams I had about what happened after the end sequence of EDII. That was so out of the blue! So crazy/cool, and so dark... nothing like what AoD became. When the film began, we were seeing the same but different falling from the sky sequence- the whole time squirming wondering what the hell you were watching. This was not where we left off! I will say the restored/alternate cuts have definitely changed my opinion for the better (from the bottom the only way you can go is up!) but I still have a very bitter taste from AoD and it will forever me the Phantom Menace of the Evil Dead franchise.
The german-tv version (and the DVD) is the us-cut with the S Mart-ending. Some years ago I watched it in asia (don't know wich cut, english language) and was totaly suprised by the (to me) alternate ending with Ash ending in the future. And also some extra scenes, like Evil-Ash spitting fire and all that. To that point I never knew of other versions and it was a great moment. When I was 18 I used to watch this movie once a week. I always wanted to dress like Ash, visit a medieval-festival and use all the great qoutes. Glad you did ths review, great as always (I just discovered your channel like two month ago and literally watched almost any video. Most of the movies I grew up with...)
ALL HAIL THE BRUCE!! I met the mighty Bruce at a showing of his movie "My Name is Bruce" a few years back. The Q&A was AMAZING!! Bruce was running late, and one of the theater guys came on stage and said "Sorry, but our guest a little late! I um..let's have a sing a long!! Ooooh.." and Bruce is standing in the doorway and yells out "What HELL is going on in here!? I leave for a bite an everything goes to shit!"
(12:29 - 14:50) - Shout Factory put out a new Blu-ray release for Army of Darkness last year that has all 3 cuts of AOD, that way you can decide which version is the best.
I remember the first time watching this movie, I was 18 at the time (1999) and had never herd of the evil dead series as I wasn’t much of a horror movie fan till then. I was hanging at my friends place which was a shed in his parents backyard but it was decked out with drywall and insulation so it was more of a tiny house, and a really cool party shack to hang out at. Everyone passed out early and I was tripping hard, one of my friends wanted to put this movie on but told me that even though it was the third movie you didn’t need to see the first 2 to know what’s going on cause of the recap at the start. From the first scene of this movie I was mesmerized, I could not believe that such an awesome protagonist like Ash existed and his chainsaw hand was so badass. I loved how Ash was kind of an asshole and a little stupid too when he couldn’t remember the words and that caused the army of the dead to rise. The humor was funny, the action was awesome and everything else couldn’t have been more awesome. At one point I thought that it wasn’t real and the drugs were making me hallucinate because no movie was this badass! Everything about this movie is perfect and by the ending I was convinced that this is one of the greatest movies of all time!!! In fact, my only complaint was that it wasn’t longer!
I've always preferred this to the Evil Dead movies. I think Bruce Campell's biggest talent is his comedic style, the "I can't tell if he's being serious or just stupid" moments. Plus, his voice is pure butter.
i love that game on the mobile phone, lol i play it all the time while waiting in line or sitting in the theater waiting for the previews to start. makes the time fly by
I watched as a kid, really, really liked and even now movie still holds up (back in the days I was blown away by its awesome) especially the last scene with the castle battle. Nowadays it would all CGI. Cambell's performance is so over the top sometimes but in general he does a very good job.
The characters are one of my favourite things about this film. Critics complained that there was no one to root for? I certainly did root for Ash. Ash fights demonic witch in pit - *critics unsure who to root for* - huh? Ash was lots of fun to watch. 😀
As a kid, I remember seeing this movie and not realizing it was sequel. The weird part though, is that I had seen the Evil Dead films, but never put two and two together until I wass a teenager. The tones were just so different.
Hi, I saw the film in the UK in about January of February 1993. I can confirm the ending has the S Mart ending, which I enjoyed. I found it a refreshing change of tone to Bram Stokers Dracula (which came out a few months before). I watched it in the Odeon cinema Birmingham, I was the only person in the theatre! I was amazed,at the time as it was such a fun film with lots of action and great lines, but no one but me and the projectionist to watch Bruce Campbell's brilliant efforts fighting the Deadites. I think the music score for the film is one of the best of the 90's for a movie. The music, the script, and the anti-hero Ash (before it became truly fashionable). All these things came to the fore to me. It is a great movie, which I think is a great education for any budding film students. Kudos to Oliver for his take on the film.
Vonklieve PS. When I eagerly rented it on VHS, I was somewhat bemused the original ending was pasted on again (the oversleeping one), I was looking forward to the final shootout...
Good stuff Oliver!! My bro and I always liked the Evildead movies. I'm a bit older than you so I was allowed to Evildead 2 when it came out so I knew Army of Darkness was a sequel. Every year I listen to the trilogy and recently watched the tv-series which I loved... I was also glad to see my 14 years old teen introduced to the genre. I didn't know about the alternate ending so right away I watched it on youtube... good stuff but I prefer the US cut. Keep those reviews coming bud... Love watching 'em... Cheers !!
I never get how people find the first film to be scary. In my opinion, it's a silly gore fest. Don't get me wrong, I love The Evil Dead and consider it a classic, but the dialogue at time is just hilarious and the effect so cheap. The second one is a horror-comedy, but clearly is still leaning toward horror and can't complain anymore. Army of Darkness works great because I feel the franchise finally accepts the silliness it possesses and goes with it.
I remember when i bought this. I had bought the first 2 for cheap, and was lucky to find the screwhead edition. The movie was awesome and hillarious. I love the evil dead movies
Get the collector's edition Blu-ray here goo.gl/4DSscu
Get the soundtrack to Army of Darkness here goo.gl/6hQs1f
it's funny how this movie and "They Live" later gave birth to video game protagonist Duke Nukem in ""Duke Nukem 3D" (which quoted lines from both of these movies)
The gun Ash uses in the shop (alternate ending) is not a "shot gun" but an under-lever gun which usually shoots pistol ammunition, and can hold about 15 rounds in the integrated tube magazine. Just a little nitpicking here ...
How’s the US 4K version?
Ash Williams be more Awesome be like some of the other male characters from other franchises
Josh McGrath (Max Steel)
Action Man (1993)
Dante Sparda (Devil May Cry)
Leon Scott Kennedy (Resident Evil)
John 117 (Halo)
Luke Skywalker or Galen Marek (Star wars)
Al Simmons (Spawn)
Clay (Nexo Knight)
Arkantos (Age of Mythology)
Kratos (God of War)
Ryu Hayabusa (Ninja Gaiden)
Ash and Cheryl 20 years olds have other equivalents of other dimensions in cartoons
infinity train
star vs the forces of evil
Little Witch academia
Glitchs Techs
Amphibia
Owl house
female characters be the Daughters of Ash
Hotaru Tomoe (Sailor saturn)
Chino Kafuu (gochuumon wa usagi desu ka)
Tee Zeng (kung fu wa)
Reggie Abbott (twelve forever)
Tip (home)
Gigi (underdogs united)
Dot, Lotta & Audrey (harvey street kids)
That coughing scene still makes me laugh. It's so stupid that he thought that might work and that's why we love Ash.
That scene, and goody little two shoes always get me. It’s all so silly but great.
The main reason we rent that movie back then. The only reason a friend gave us to do so.
Three things I didn't know when I first watched this movie as a kid:
1) This was the 3rd movie in a trilogy.
2) The Deadite commander was Evil Ash.
3) Evil Ash was Bruce Campbell.
SAME!!! omg haha
The summary at the beginning of the film did really work well, then!
Sam Raimi's strength as a director is that he was able to lay manic energy and tongue in cheek humor over the production weakness' so that those weakness' became strengths.
So true.
Just one word.....Groovy.
I just love this movie, I've seen it countless times, it had a big part in my childhood. It's easily in my Top 10 favorites films of all time.
Oliver Harper My favorite line in the movie is when the skeletons are escaping the castle and one of them runs into the foreground and yells, "Let's get the hell out of here!" Not sure why, but it always cracks me up.
LOL! Don't remember seeing that but now I gotta find out.
*OH MY GOD* that's always been my favorite line too! I know this comment is 4 years old and you may never ser it but I just HAD to respond. To this day my entire family says "Lets get the hell out of heahh!" In a high pitched fakes British accent. My mom even used to say it, and decades later my kids do too. Epic.
Evil Ash's head: You'll never find the Necronomicon!
Ash: Hey, you got something on your face.
Evil Ash: What?
*shovels dirt on face*
LOL 🤣
I watched army of darkness at the cinema when I was 14 and I totally loved it. I didn’t know it was connected to the evil dead either back then, but i remember thinking how cool a movie of the prologue would be. It’s a great movie, a lot of fun and I would watch it anytime again
i remember watching this movie around i was 5-6 years old, very cool stuff, until a few years ago i didn´t have a clue how much sam raimi movies and tv series were influential in my childhood
Hercules, Xena, Spiderman Trilogy, Army of Darkness, Darkman Trilogy
***** en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darkman_III:_Die_Darkman_Die
Evil dead was huge in my circles as a kid and this movie was a long time coming. We had no idea it was going to be all out comedy and it was truly one of the best cinema experiences I can remember!
Absolutely love this movie, but honestly it feels more like a PG-13 film than an R rated movie any day of the week. It has only one F bomb, and the action and stuff is PG-13 level versus what the previous 2 films did.
yeah, my thoughts exactly. did the MPAA give that rating after they went to church all coked out or something?
Yeah, and the previous two films were rated X (now NC-17).
Yep
It had tits in it during the graveyard scene. Like, 2 seconds worth, but exposed breasts nonetheless
It's complete nonsense. When he saw it was getting an R he should have went in and done what he could to put it over the top. This movie just doesn't have the balls I need in an evil dead film.
Hail to the king baby.
One of my personal favorites and easily a guilty pleasure, especially seeing as how this felt like a weird direction for Evil Dead to go in following on from Evil Dead II. But this movie still never fails to get many laughs as much as possible. Wonderful stuff as always Oliver.
I'm at work right now but I can't wait to watch this when I get home! Hail to the king baby!
I honestly prefer the supermarket a lot more than the first ending.
same
Same here man hail to the king baby.
So did test audiences whom also didn't approve of original ending
Same
I did too, but after repeated viewing I think 'slept too long' ending works better in the context of whole trilogy.
this movie's a masterpiece. I don't care what anybody says. I just don't.
Sam Raimi's magnum opus.
Right there with you, fam.
Groovy
I remember seeing _Army_ _of_ _Darkness_ on AMC when I was at least 10 in 2003. It was my first _Evil_ _Dead_ movie as well. At the time I didn't get that this was supposed to be a comedy. But as I grew up watching it more, it just became one of the funniest movies I've ever seen, and Bruce Campbell is at his most hilarious. ;D
"London Bridge is falling down! Falling down! Falling dooowwwn!!! Hahahahahaha!!!"
Ah dude, you got to cover one of the Monty Python movies at some point.
***** Which one do you think Larry?
Oliver Harper
Well if you want Americans to watch it and video views, probably Holy Grail.
But, If you want one with a lot of interesting back story and history, definitely Life of Brian.
Meaning of Life probably isn't worth doing unless you make the other two first and there's demand. The only thing it has going is how Terry Gilliam blew most of the movie's budget on the opening scene.
***** Life of Brian is easily the best Monty Python movie if not one of the greatest comedies of all time so it'd would be great hearing some behind the scenes and perhaps mention of the extremely hostile reception that film received initially.
I have to agree.
Larry Bundy Jr your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries
I used to watch this like 3 times a day... never get tired of it, and still a fun ride
Oliver Harper. I cannot even begin to explain how much I enjoyed your retrospective. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the film when I first saw it. Your voice over and content was so well executed in every regard. Great work man, just great!
I never understood the thinking behind the remake. After the first Evil Dead it became obvious it was all about Bruce Campbell which is why he became the focal point. Without his cheesy delivery and grand standing the films would have fallen completely flat, as was eventually proven by the remake. I was over joyed to hear about the upcoming mini-series last week, got to love Bruce. Hail to the king, baby
preachercaine I'm looking forward to the series as well. They just released an image too of Bruce in full Ash regalia with two new sidekicks. It looks like it's going to be awesome and what we've been wanting to see ever since Army of Darkness came out. I just hope the tone is a mix of Evil Dead II and AoD and not straight horror like the first ED was.
alucard624
agreed, I think it's a pretty sure bet that Bruce will be Bruce though
preachercaine The remake was definitely one of the better horror movies to come out in a while. Yes it was from an already existing property, but it didn't rely on cheap jump scares like so many others, and more so seemed to want to shock its audience with violence much like the original. Plus, that ending. The chainsaw through the face was awesome enough, but while it's raining blood and the cabin is on fire in the background? Holy shit, what a shot
I think they wanted to get back to the tone of the first movie. Pure gorey and scary horror, and no cheese...
AOD was my first introduction to the trilogy as well and only found out years later that there were 2 films prior. This is my favorite of the series, loved the scope, the quotes, and Campbell especially. Doesn't Bruce Campbell look like a cartoon/comic character? He looks so much like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.
I still remember that my movie fascination STARTED with this film. It was a Premiere and I even get the poster! (still have it).
Easily one of my favorite movies. Even though AoD's over-the-top the entire time, it somehow manages to perfectly blend action, comedy, and B-level horror.
I remember watching this on VHS over and over again as a kiddo. I practically wore the tape out by the time I got my hands on the DVD. Thanks for the awesome review, brought back some nostalgia for me :)
This movie never gets old .
I love the way you edit the intro and outro of your videos!!! they are like a mix of a epic trailer and a cliff notes version of the movie!!
I also thought Army of Darkness was a standalone film as a kid. Later on I learned it was part 3 of a trilogy. It's also weird how Evil Dead 2 is more of a remake than a proper sequel.
Ash v the ED is a great series if you haven't checked it out, Campbell is still Ash, a funny smart ass trying to deal with, well the evil dead lol.
It's sort of a remake, but mostly a sequel. The first 5 minutes are supposed to be a recap, and then the rest of the movie is it's own thing with a new tongue in cheek tone.
It was a sequel, everything at the start up to the point where ash gets possessed is a recap.
If you start the 2nd movie at that moment immediately after the first then it makes sense
Just watched this, with the alternate ending. Absolutely loved it.
Well done review Oliver! When I heard you were doing this, I was rather ecstatic. I like your overall critique of the film not afraid to point out the flaws but also addressing your overall personal opinion both as a child/adult.
I love watching all your reviews and I always play them in the background on auto play. I personally loved the Evil Dead remake. Keep up the awesome work.
Whoever marketed this movie should be slapped with a raw fish. It was a great movie that debuted to largely empty theaters in the US.
I love these Oliver. You deserve way more subs and love for all the beautiful work you have done in these. They are to me personal stories, insightful reviews with good solid facts and obviously retrospective that happen to be brilliant. Good work, my friend. Thank you so much.
Best review ever. I've only known the US vhs edit but loved every minute.
I love this movie, and it shows Bruce's charm in full tilt. Loved the Ash vs the evil dead. Anything Rami or Bruce do is on my to watch list.
I'm not sure I was even a teenager when I first watched, but found it absolutely hilarious with all its jokes. I've also only seen the version where Ash goes too far into the future, never the S-Mart version. I don't know if it was the American or UK release but I saw it in the UK on an Evil Dead trilogy boxset.
One of my all-time favorite movies. Campbell is HILARIOUS, the script is great, the fx surprisingly good. Hail to the King, baby!
Great Review AND Great Movie!!!
Hail to the king of RUclips reviewers.
This movie will forever live in my memory as one of the fondest movie experiences ever. Going with my father at 10 years old, both of us so excited to see it. Playing in the arcade before seeing it. Eating popcorn and laughing, but also being slightly scared at the deadlites. It was so exciting, I can still remember it clear as day. Over the years I have owned just about every vhs/dvd/Blu-ray of this movie released. Whether a guilty pleasure, or a cult classic, this movie is a masterpeice in my heart, and the beginning of my love for the evil dead , Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi.
This is my BOOMSTICK!!! - damn i love this movie. bruce is amazing as always. great review , thanks for this
in college during a conversation with my psychology professor I learned he used to run a lumber mill that he rented out to the film makers as the location for the final battle scene with the castle
I just ordered the Collector's Edition! I've only ever seen the U.S. version and can't wait to see the extended cuts.
I was hired as a Locations PA on Army of Darkness and loved every moment of it,..and then got to work with the Renaissance Family for years
Love this review Oliver. I think this is one of your best videos you have ever created. Your comments and opinions are spot on too. Couldn't have said it better myself. Keep up the awesome work!
Actually saw this in the movie theatre when it was originally released. I don't think my friend liked it, but it always stuck with me! My favorite line: "This... is my BOOMSTICK!" Cracks me up every time! (And the "Klatuu Barrada Nic ")
Great review, Ollie!
Very enjoyable, as all of your reviews.
Yeah! My cousin & I watched Army of Darkness at the cinema in Australia, helping the movie recouping its costs. To those US people who didn’t support this film over there: what is wrong with you?
I think @24:09 sums up Ash altogether. This cat is indestructible. He spent about 2 weeks fighting the Evil Dead, cuts his arm off and then has enough juice to fight the Evil Dead in England but get some ass too.
Love this film thanks for doing a review!
What a pleasurable action comedy. As with many people it was my childhood movie. Pleasure to watch it for a good chill evening
The reason Ash changes from kind of an a-hole to a hero is because his "evil self" was separated from him.
I am truly ashamed it took reading this to make me realize that.
Awesome synopsis to one of my fave films. I too have watched it far too many times, it's a staple of late night sessions along with Dark Angel (aka. I Come In Peace) and Withnail and I, but Campbell being the coolest guy on the planet... groovy!
I still remember the day I rented it when It first came out.
Two hours later I was at my cousin's house watching it again.
watching this just made me realize how much I miss this movie I'm on my way to the movie store now
Still one of my favourite films. Great review.
I actually just seen Evil Dead 2 literally a few months before Army of Darkness came out. I was so relieved because the end of Evil Dead 2 left me with an overwhelming feeling of being marooned. Course, I was a child at the time.
I watched the Evil Dead trilogy backwards too. I loved the He-Man-style box art of the VHS and have a poster of it.
"Good....bad....I'm the guy with the GUN."
I saw a short segment on a news tv show about Evil Dead 2 when I was 10 yrs old and was immediately hooked. When I saw the movie a few months later I was both terrified and fascinated. When Army of Darkness finally came out, I forced my dad to take me to this tiny, grimy theater to see Army of Darkness. That's what makes movies so wonderful: the fond memories they help to create.
Never tire of watching this masterpiece.
This movie came out when I was 13. One of those things that make me thing that the cosmos favored my generation... at least for a little while.
You included my fav part as the start of the epilogue!!!! Lightning strikes the cross, revivify info evil ash, his pieces come together, and he goes "WOOO!" Haha!
Hello, Oliver my name is Wyatt Williams and I enjoyed your review on Army of Darkness. I'm an American from the U.S. most specifically Texas. Anyway I started watching your movie reviews last year 2014 starting with your Terminator reviews and I liked them and have been watching some of your other reviews.I am a bit of a retro-guy myself and watch films I have seen since I was a kid and still like to watch them to this very day.And I checkout reviews on youtube from people who like movies like the ones you've reviewed and it's cool to know there are other people out there who enjoy these kind of movies. Anyway I enjoyed learning a lot of that new info about stunt-women used as some of the skeletons and I knew about the deleted scenes and other versions too. Anyway good job on your review and take care Oliver.
Another awesome review oliver!!!
thanks for helping to keep the art of film alive olly great and competent review as always
CrazyKraut20 that's really nice of you to say. Thanks!
credit where credit is due :P
I have 3 boys and I legit cannot wait until they are old enough to watch these movies. I can't wait to share them with them.
I remember an added cut of the movie on TV, where at the beginning when he arrives..he shoots a gargoyle coming at him (like the ending in ED2), but they never put that in any of the DVD releases...idk why.
Oliver, thanks for bringing back so many good memories!
I got two word's for U ,Jack and shit...and Jack left town🤣
this movie is just fun all the way through and for that I absolutely love it, Sam Raimi is an excellent director and I can not wait to see what he has in store for Doctor Strange
I was a young teenager when this came out, and a huge Evil Dead fan. I had no idea it came out until I was at the movie store and there it was. Never grabbed a movie so fast, best surprise ever.
Although as movies parts 1 y 2 of Evil Dead trilogy are better, "Army of Darkness" is the funniest. I was first introduce in the mythology by this films and later I watch the other chapters. Fingers cross that here in Chile (and the rest of South America) we could see the series as soon as possible. Again, thank you Oliver for given us another hit in your collection.
Great review as always. I have seen the first movie, liked it, but never got around the second one? Do you recommend it Oliver?
America Eagle The second one is highly recommended.
+Maxx Kroes everyone has a different opinion bit every movie in the franchise is great Even the remake
SSJ Mikey I agree. I like all 4 of them
Quiet evening, a few beers, phone off the hook and this film. Can't really go wrong.
Always a pleasure to listen to your reviews oliver. Keep it up
perfect review! iv seen it so many times i know basically all the lines during the movie :)
It's very interesting to hear it from a "saw AoD first" pov. I was one of the EDII fanatics AND I live in the US of A, so I can honestly say I was in tears by the windmill scene when I went opening weekend for AoD. I started with EDII, so even seeing the original ED was a shock, but it prepared me for the mood/tone shift the series could take, but I never imagined they would go so far into slapstick. It was painful, seeing one of the edgiest horror film franchises become this goofy, faux-Stooges mess. Put yourself in my place and imagine the daydreams I had about what happened after the end sequence of EDII. That was so out of the blue! So crazy/cool, and so dark... nothing like what AoD became. When the film began, we were seeing the same but different falling from the sky sequence- the whole time squirming wondering what the hell you were watching. This was not where we left off! I will say the restored/alternate cuts have definitely changed my opinion for the better (from the bottom the only way you can go is up!) but I still have a very bitter taste from AoD and it will forever me the Phantom Menace of the Evil Dead franchise.
Great review as usual!
I was becoming very impatient after seeing the preview, but it was definitely worth it!
My Brother and I have seen it literally a thousand times and he owns five different copies of this movie.
Another great one Oliver. However, now I am dying to see all the left out footage.
The german-tv version (and the DVD) is the us-cut with the S Mart-ending. Some years ago I watched it in asia (don't know wich cut, english language) and was totaly suprised by the (to me) alternate ending with Ash ending in the future. And also some extra scenes, like Evil-Ash spitting fire and all that. To that point I never knew of other versions and it was a great moment. When I was 18 I used to watch this movie once a week. I always wanted to dress like Ash, visit a medieval-festival and use all the great qoutes.
Glad you did ths review, great as always (I just discovered your channel like two month ago and literally watched almost any video. Most of the movies I grew up with...)
ALL HAIL THE BRUCE!! I met the mighty Bruce at a showing of his movie "My Name is Bruce" a few years back. The Q&A was AMAZING!! Bruce was running late, and one of the theater guys came on stage and said "Sorry, but our guest a little late! I um..let's have a sing a long!! Ooooh.." and Bruce is standing in the doorway and yells out "What HELL is going on in here!? I leave for a bite an everything goes to shit!"
I can not wait for you to do a review of Evil Dead 2
(12:29 - 14:50) - Shout Factory put out a new Blu-ray release for Army of Darkness last year that has all 3 cuts of AOD, that way you can decide which version is the best.
I remember the first time watching this movie, I was 18 at the time (1999) and had never herd of the evil dead series as I wasn’t much of a horror movie fan till then. I was hanging at my friends place which was a shed in his parents backyard but it was decked out with drywall and insulation so it was more of a tiny house, and a really cool party shack to hang out at. Everyone passed out early and I was tripping hard, one of my friends wanted to put this movie on but told me that even though it was the third movie you didn’t need to see the first 2 to know what’s going on cause of the recap at the start. From the first scene of this movie I was mesmerized, I could not believe that such an awesome protagonist like Ash existed and his chainsaw hand was so badass. I loved how Ash was kind of an asshole and a little stupid too when he couldn’t remember the words and that caused the army of the dead to rise. The humor was funny, the action was awesome and everything else couldn’t have been more awesome. At one point I thought that it wasn’t real and the drugs were making me hallucinate because no movie was this badass! Everything about this movie is perfect and by the ending I was convinced that this is one of the greatest movies of all time!!!
In fact, my only complaint was that it wasn’t longer!
"This is my BOOMSTICK!" Bruce Campbell is frigging hilarious, an asshole and a cool alpha male all at once in this flick, love it.
I've always preferred this to the Evil Dead movies. I think Bruce Campell's biggest talent is his comedic style, the "I can't tell if he's being serious or just stupid" moments. Plus, his voice is pure butter.
i love that game on the mobile phone, lol i play it all the time while waiting in line or sitting in the theater waiting for the previews to start. makes the time fly by
I watched as a kid, really, really liked and even now movie still holds up (back in the days I was blown away by its awesome) especially the last scene with the castle battle. Nowadays it would all CGI. Cambell's performance is so over the top sometimes but in general he does a very good job.
The characters are one of my favourite things about this film. Critics complained that there was no one to root for? I certainly did root for Ash. Ash fights demonic witch in pit - *critics unsure who to root for* - huh?
Ash was lots of fun to watch. 😀
Saw this in theaters at 4 years old, and it influenced my whole conception of medieval times, 'scary magic', and knights for most of my childhood lol.
another very well done retrospective Oliver Harper ..kudos
Army Of Darkness is my favorite movie!
Man, I wish I could see those skeleton props in-person one day
As a kid, I remember seeing this movie and not realizing it was sequel. The weird part though, is that I had seen the Evil Dead films, but never put two and two together until I wass a teenager. The tones were just so different.
Hi, I saw the film in the UK in about January of February 1993. I can confirm the ending has the S Mart ending, which I enjoyed. I found it a refreshing change of tone to Bram Stokers Dracula (which came out a few months before).
I watched it in the Odeon cinema Birmingham, I was the only person in the theatre! I was amazed,at the time as it was such a fun film with lots of action and great lines, but no one but me and the projectionist to watch Bruce Campbell's brilliant efforts fighting the Deadites.
I think the music score for the film is one of the best of the 90's for a movie. The music, the script, and the anti-hero Ash (before it became truly fashionable). All these things came to the fore to me. It is a great movie, which I think is a great education for any budding film students.
Kudos to Oliver for his take on the film.
Vonklieve PS. When I eagerly rented it on VHS, I was somewhat bemused the original ending was pasted on again (the oversleeping one), I was looking forward to the final shootout...
Good stuff Oliver!! My bro and I always liked the Evildead movies. I'm a bit older than you so I was allowed to Evildead 2 when it came out so I knew Army of Darkness was a sequel. Every year I listen to the trilogy and recently watched the tv-series which I loved... I was also glad to see my 14 years old teen introduced to the genre. I didn't know about the alternate ending so right away I watched it on youtube... good stuff but I prefer the US cut. Keep those reviews coming bud... Love watching 'em... Cheers !!
I never get how people find the first film to be scary. In my opinion, it's a silly gore fest. Don't get me wrong, I love The Evil Dead and consider it a classic, but the dialogue at time is just hilarious and the effect so cheap. The second one is a horror-comedy, but clearly is still leaning toward horror and can't complain anymore. Army of Darkness works great because I feel the franchise finally accepts the silliness it possesses and goes with it.
I remember when i bought this. I had bought the first 2 for cheap, and was lucky to find the screwhead edition. The movie was awesome and hillarious. I love the evil dead movies
Unbeatable.
Unrepeatable.
Classic.
Hail to The King, baby!