Army of Darkness

Army of Darkness has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available in Australia on MGM Amazon Channel, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Bruce Campbell — stay for everyone else around them. Start it on MGM Amazon Channel whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Army of Darkness is worth clearing space for. Army of Darkness does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. Ash, a handsome, shotgun-toting, chainsaw-armed department store clerk, is time warped backwards into England's Dark Ages, where he romances a beauty and faces legions of the undead. The chemistry Bruce Campbell and Embeth Davidtz bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. It was released in 1992. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Army of Darkness holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Army of Darkness respects your intelligence. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Bruce Campbell is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.