After over 30 years of cult anticipation, the boomstick is back. Army of Darkness 2, the long-speculated sequel to Sam Raimi’s 1992 horror-comedy classic, has finally arrived—and it’s just as wild, bloody, and ridiculous as fans could hope.
Set several years after the events of the original trilogy, Army of Darkness 2 sees the return of Ash Williams (played once again by the immortal Bruce Campbell) who has somehow, yet again, messed with the wrong book. After accidentally opening a tear in space-time while working in a cursed antique shop (yes, Ash now works retail), he is thrown into a post-apocalyptic version of the medieval world he once escaped—only this time, it’s ruled by the Deadites.
With his chainsaw hand, double-barreled shotgun, and unmatched ability to deliver one-liners in the face of demonic carnage, Ash must unite a ragtag group of rebels (including a badass nun, a cowardly knight, and a sarcastic robot head from the future) to battle an undead army led by a resurrected Evil Ash, now fused with dark magic and futuristic tech.
The director, Fede Álvarez (known for Evil Dead 2013), takes the reins from Sam Raimi but honors the series’ tone, delivering the perfect mix of slapstick gore, absurd fantasy, and practical effects. Raimi and Campbell, both producing, clearly left their fingerprints on the humor and horror balance. It’s silly. It’s messy. It’s glorious.
Where the original Army of Darkness leaned heavily into medieval parody, the sequel expands the sandbox with sci-fi dystopia, time travel absurdity, and even Mad Max-style action. There are mutant horses, exploding spell scrolls, and a musical fight sequence involving skeletons and bagpipes. Yes, really.
But beneath the blood spray and bravado, there’s a surprising emotional undercurrent: Ash, now older and wearier, is haunted by the lives lost to his “heroics.” While never too serious, this gives the film a sense of closure—for both the character and the franchise.
