"Army of Darkness," the 1992 horror-comedy directed by Sam Raimi, catapults our beleaguered hero, Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell), into a new realm of madness and adventure. This film, the third in the "Evil Dead" series, begins with a brief recap of the previous installments, explaining how Ash and his girlfriend Linda (Bridget Fonda) ended up in a cabin in the woods, where they inadvertently unleashed the malevolent forces of the Necronomicon Ex Mortis. This dark tome not only caused Linda's possession and demise but also transported Ash through a dimensional portal into the medieval past.
Ash lands in 13th-century England, a time of strife and suspicion. Almost immediately, he is captured by the forces of Lord Arthur (Marcus Gilbert), who mistakes him for an agent of Duke Henry the Red (Richard Grove), Arthur's rival in a bitter feud. Stripped of his gun and chainsaw, Ash is shackled and marched to Arthur's castle alongside the captured Duke.
There, in a pit of horrors, Ash regains his chainsaw in a spectacular mid-air catch, dispatches a female Deadite with ruthless efficiency, and lops off the hand of another demonic foe. His audacious escape from the pit earns him the respect of Arthur’s people, particularly after he frees Henry and his men, showcasing his innate sense of justice.
Ash's bravado doesn't end there. He humbles Arthur with a classic "your shoelace is untied" trick and uses his shotgun to assert dominance, blowing off the tip of Arthur's sword and sending a massive Deadite back into the pit. The crowd, initially wary, now hails Ash as a hero. Among them is Sheila (Embeth Davidtz), a fierce woman mourning her fallen brother. Initially hostile, she warms to Ash, their mutual attraction simmering beneath the surface.
The Wise Man (Ian Abercrombie) informs Ash that the only way to return to his own time is to retrieve the Necronomicon from a nearby cemetery. Armed with this knowledge and after a tender farewell to Sheila, Ash embarks on his perilous quest. The haunted forest he traverses is alive with unseen malevolence. Seeking refuge in a windmill, Ash inadvertently shatters a mirror, releasing tiny versions of himself. These mischievous reflections torment him until one dives into his mouth, growing into a life-sized evil twin. A brutal struggle ensues, culminating in Ash’s victory and the burial of his dark doppelgänger.
Reaching the cemetery, Ash faces a trio of identical books, each with its own curse. After painful trial and error, he identifies the true Necronomicon but bungles the magic phrase "Klaatu barada nikto," mumbling the last word. This mistake awakens the dead, who rise from their graves in a ghastly legion. During his frantic ride back to the castle, Ash's evil twin resurrects and rallies the Deadites into the formidable Army of Darkness.
Though responsible for this new calamity, Ash initially demands to be sent back to his own time. His resolve shifts dramatically when Sheila is abducted and transformed into a Deadite by a flying demon. Ash, now determined to save her and defeat the undead horde, galvanizes the medieval soldiers. Using his modern knowledge, he concocts gunpowder and other weapons from his car’s trunk, transforming the medieval warriors into a well-armed force.
The climactic battle is a symphony of chaos and heroism. Ash leads the charge, battling his way through the skeletal army and confronting Evil Ash in a final, epic showdown. With a combination of brute strength, ingenuity, and sheer will, Ash decapitates his evil counterpart and routs the Deadite forces. The victorious army celebrates, and Ash, having saved Sheila and secured peace, prepares to return home.
A potion from the Necronomicon facilitates Ash’s journey back to his own time. The film’s final scene unfolds in the familiar setting of the S-Mart store, where Ash regales a disinterested co-worker (Ted Raimi) with tales of his medieval exploits. The monotony is shattered when a Deadite invades the store, prompting Ash to leap into action, dispatching the creature with characteristic flair. As the dust settles, he delivers the iconic line, "Hail to the King, baby!" sealing his status as a timeless, albeit reluctant, hero.
"Army of Darkness" blends horror, humor, and action in a uniquely captivating way, cementing Ash Williams as a cult icon and solidifying the film’s place in the pantheon of genre classics.