Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 70

i 8 AiBtin American-Statesman i Friday, February 19, 1993 This section is recyclable 'Army' marches out too many skeletons, monsters to scare 3 iv; Film review I i 4 1 XT 1 Bundy, completely out of his element When Ash is teetering on the edge of a torture pit, moments away from getting thrown to his death, he addresses a fellow would-be victim as "Mr. Fancy Pants." With the help of his chainsaw, Ash gets himself out of that predicament He finds an old wise man (who is named, with typically subtle Raimi humor, Wiseman) who informs him that the only way to be transported back to the 20th century is to capture a sacred text from a particular haunted graveyard. Ash does get to the book, but then forgets the words to the magic incantation, unleashing the rage of several generations of dead upon the people of the village. That leads to the film's over-long climax, an extended confrontation between the human warriors, led by Ash, and the living dead, including hundreds of By Michael MacCambridge American-Statesman Staff Remember when you were in high school, how there was always a clique of guys who hung around the chemistry lab too much and played Dungeons and Dragons after school? They were bright, but sort of antisocial; they had bigger calculators than anyone else, and they probably could have gone to M.LT. if they hadn't flunked out of phys ed.

Ever wonder what became of them? I think a lot of those guys probably grew up to become regulars in Sam Raimi movies. Raimi, the campy horror director whose Evil Dead was one of the goriest pictures ever made, is back again with his latest shocker. For fans of his movies, this one won't disappoint. For those not on Raimi's quirky wavelength, this one won't be the big crossover picture. Like the Evil Dead series, Army stars Raimi regular Bruce Camp- Time traveler Ash, played by Bruce Campbell, leads a makeshift army against evil forces in Army of Darkness.

Army of Darkness Stars: Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz Director Sam Raimi MPAA rating: Theaters: Arbor 7, Highland 10, Lake Creek 8, Movies 12, North-cross 6, Riverside 8 and Westgate 8 Critic's rating: bell as Ash, a pompous, all-talk modern man who is transported back in time to the 13th century. All he brings with him is his beat-up 73 Delta 88 Olds, his chainsaw, a 12-gauge shotgun and a bad attitude. He is dropped into the middle of a fierce Dark Ages battle between two sides of sword-bearing warriors. Ash has the sort of oblivious confidence most often seen in the very stupid; he's like Married With Cliildren's Al too unrealistic to be genuinely frightening, too relentless to be effective. One gets a sense of watching a talent show long on inventive costumes and short on talent Memo to mainstream fans: Don't blink, or youll miss Bridget Fonda in a cameo as a department store salesperson- skeletal warriors seeking to victimize humankind for all eternity.

Army works best when it sends up the differences between Ash's contemporary suburban sensibilities and the arch rhetoric of the Dark Ages. But as for Raimi's unremitting gore, it's really not very effective. The skeletons and hideously disfigured monsters are -www mWM wtftitv "'THE CEMETERY CLUB' LEAVES YOU FEELING (M! It's totally satisfying. Don't miss it, it's wonderful." David Sheehan, NBC-TV RICHARD GERE JODIE FOSTER in (px (Y 'Sommersby' revives the tradition of great Hollywood romances." "A ravishing romance. Gere's most passionate performance since 'An Officer And A Gentleman'.

Foster is extraordinary." ttm Timb, lotimc ctone "HOOTHMTHES NOW SHOWING RBI The Cemetery Club' re-establishes Ellen Burstyn fc.w iw iuwv hrw IOSTOM CUM "Jodie Foster is radiant, memorable, impossible to resist" -bnafcTom. LOS ANGEUS TIMES Superb. Foster delivers another Oscar caliber performance." "Sheer pleasure. Foster and Gere captivate. Sparbfly." "Sommersby' -is first rate movie making.

Gere's richest performana." among the great screen actresses of our time. It's a rich, uplifting wonderfully human performance." Jim Svejda, KNX RADIO "Bumstyn, Dukakis, Ladd, Aiello and Kazan, these seasoned performers are as youthful and vibrant as ever." Bob Campbell, NEWHOUSE NEWS SEKVICE "Imagine! An amusing well-made romantic picture about people past college age. WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF NEXT?" -Gene Shalif, TODAY SHOW Richard Gere's DALLM MOtNWG NEWS "Jodie Foster gives a strong, passionate, elegant performance VtaM Cm. NEW TOM TIMES splendid performance is Mate. PTTTSIUECH IWT "A stirring, wildly "Gere and Foster kiss like they invented it." romantic love TnE WASHINGTON POST Ellen Oiymp.

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