Starring Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, and Marcus Gilbert
Directed by Sam Raimi
Year: 1992
IMDB / Wikipedia
On the afternoon prior to an awards show lauding the best the film industry has to offer, I sat down and watched a movie that is the epitome of the phrase, “so bad it’s good.” Though the third film in the Evil Dead series, this film can stand on its own because, a) the first several minutes of the movie gave a better-than-average synopsis of the events until now, and b) we’re not talking about the most cerebral of plotlines.
A cult film in it’s most pure sense, this film tells the third part of Ash’s story (Campbell) as the Necronomicon sends him hurtling back in time to the middle ages where he must find the book again to help get him home. However, because Ash isn’t the brightest guy, he unwittingly unleashes an army of the undead (including an evil double of himself) upon a small kingdom. He uses his 20th century know-how to help the people of the time defeat the army, build a new hand, and so many other implausible things that are required to perpetuate the story that is would take too long to list them here.
One of the endearing factors of the film is it’s simple nature and infinite quotability that includes lines like, “This is my boomstick!” and “Hey, She-Bitch,” and let’s not forget, “Hail to the King, baby.” The action is ludicrous at times, befitting a B-movie of this caliber, but that really adds to the mystique of the film. While it will never win awards or be the model of how to make a movie, it should be appreciated for its camp, its whimsy, and its hilarity from beginning to end.
Most Valuable Actor: This movie doesn’t move without Bruce Campbell’s brash and arrogant S-Mart employee-turned world savior Ash Williams. The hubris turned over in this film and the lines would have been lost with some other actor, but Campbell’s way to over-play a role and chew scenery made him the perfect fit.
Trailer:
These Things I Have Seen 