Subplotly
--:--:--
ALL SHELVES·
Army of Darkness (1992) poster

Army of Darkness

dir. Sam Raimi · 1992

Feature
Cultural Dislocation
Mood
Comedic / Adventurous
Look
vibrant, exaggerated, and stylized with practical effects
Structure
episodic with a quest-driven framework
Plot

Ash is transported with his car to 1,300 A.D., where he is captured by Lord Arthur and turned slave with Duke Henry the Red and a couple of his men. When Ash is thrown into a pit, he defeats two monsters and wins respect of Arthur's army and vassals. The Wiseman points Ash as The Chosen One that will retrieve the Necronomicon but Ash is only interested in returning home. When he learns that the only way to return to his time is using the Necronomicon, Ash decides to travel to the unholy land of the Deadites. The Wiseman advises that he must say the words "Klaatu Barada Nikto" to safely get the evil book. However, Ash forgets the last word and an army of the dead resurrects to attack Arthur fortress and recover the Necronomicon. The battle between the living and the dead is about to start and the support of Henry the Red is the only way to help Ash and Arthur to defeat the army of darkness.

Why watch

Ash finds himself in a medieval world, battling the undead while trying to remember a crucial incantation to return home. The film is a whirlwind of slapstick humor, absurd situations, and over-the-top action that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, laughing and cringing in equal measure.

Cultural context
1990s cult film revivalpostmodern horror tropesblending of genres in indie cinema

Where this shelves

every shelf · back to the store