Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 149

Chicago Tribune, Friday, February 19, 1993 Section 7 Friday mmwj Siskel's Flicks Picks By Gene Siskel C- rr Sales clerk battles evil in 'Army but who cares? ur Flick of the Week is "Army of Darkness," an inventively made but ultimately boring adventure film from director Sam Raimi, who made such a splash two years ago with "Darkman." Inspired by the "Back to the Future" movies and by the stop-action adventure films of r--'' 11 t' mL. 1 j--- A ....3. Si. Ash (Bruce Campbell) battles Deadites with swords and wits in "Army Ray Harryhausen in the '60s and the Raimi gives us the story of a supermarket sales clerk (Bruce Campbell) thrust back in time, courtesy of the Book of the Dead, to the Middle Ages. The displaced-in-time jokes are about as inspired as those in "Encino Man" and one of "Bill Ted's Adventures." He talks hip to warriors talking Olde English.

But here's the problem: Bruce Campbell's character is a complete stiff, and so is everyone else he meets who isn't a special effect. The result is that we couldn't care less who wins any battle in the movie no matter how inventively photographed. What about a love interest? Embeth Davidtz, as the lady who's waiting, doesn't have a sexy scene in the movie. Teenage boys may enjoy the sight of swooping witches and charging skeletons and a 20th Century chainsaw. But almost everyone else will be quickly exhausted by a film that runs only about 80 minutes.

"Army of Darkness" is playing at Burnham Plaza, Chestnut Station and outlying theaters. Rated R. Vi You and what 'Any'? Mad magazine wackiness propels Raimi's latest Flicks Picks guide i i of graveyard. Propelled by the local beauty, Princess Sheila (Embeth Davidtz), Ash reluctantly ventures forth, only to encounter again the book that is his ancient nemesis, now backing an army of sword-wielding skeletons. "Give me some sugar, baby!" he demurely demands of the princess, before marching off on his mission.

Combining stop-motion animation (the skeletons are a homage to the technique's master, Ray Harryhausen) and a new matte system called "Intro-vision," Raimi's special effects retain a reassuring edge of fak-ery; as violent as the gags may be, the movie remains a cartoon, in which physical pain is fleeting and no distortion of the human body can't be repaired by shaking it off, accompanied by the requisite rubbery cartoon noises. Raimi's style depends on deliberately abrupt transitions wild, violent contrasts of silence and sound, stillness and hysterical movement, that blast the narra- tive forward like the succeeding stages of a rocket. At 81 minutes (including a shamelessly padded end credit sequence), "Army of Darkness" is nothing if not compact; Raimi realizes that his film depends on sheer momentum, rather than story or character, and wisely refuses to wear out his welcome. Much of the movie's charm, in fact, is derived from its sense of its own instant dispensability. Raimi has created the cinematic equivalent of fast food efficient, unassuming and seriously regressive.

It may not be much good for you in the end, but consuming it is loads of fun. r. ft i r. Dave Kehr "Army of Darkness" Directed by Sam Raimi; written by Raimi and Ivan Raimi; photographed by Bill Pope; produc-' Hon designed by Tony Tramblay; edited by Bob Murawski and R.O.C. Sandatoim; music by Joseph LoOuca; produced by Robert Taper! A Universal Pictures release; opens Feb.

19 at the Burnham Plaza, Chestnut Station and outlying theaters. Running time; 1:21. MPAA rating: R. Violence, strong language. THE CAST Ash Bruce Campbell Sheila Embeth Davidtz Arthur Marcus Gilbert Wiseman tan Abercrombie Duke Henry Richard Grove ularly victimized comic is played by Campbell's droll, enduring Ash and that of the omnipresent banana peel by the "Necronom-icon," an ancient manuscript with the power to unleash vast legions of highly creative demons.

Having done battle with the Necronomicon in an isolated cabin in parts one (1979, released in 1983) and two (1987), Ash awakes in part three to find himself, his ever-handy chainsaw and his faithful 1973 Oldsmobile falling from the sky, narrowly avoiding a band of scraggly, chain-mailed soldiers as they crash to Earth somewhere in the British Isles, circa 1300. The heaven-sent Ash is hailed by the resident wise man of the band (Ian Abercrombie) as the Chosen One, designated by the fates to liberate the local popu- lace from a scourge of unimagin-able evil centered in a nearby connoisseurs of splatter I 1 comedy will already know, fill hiding behind the blandly generic title "Army of Darkness" is actually "Evil Dead III," the latest but apparently not the last installment in director Sam Raimi's hugely entertaining series of high energy, high camp horror films. Initiated by Raimi while he was still enrolled at Michigan State University, the "Evil Dead" series retains, even after 10 years, an amiable undergraduate quality. Raimi's work possesses a caffeine- and candy bar-fueled hyperkinesis, combined with a wise guy attitude and an encyclopedic knowledge of trash culture. "Army of Darkness," which propels its hapless hero, a square-jawed housewares clerk named Ash (Bruce Campbell), back to medieval times, combines elements ranging from English literature "Gulliver's to drive-in Americana Seventh Voyage of Sinbad," "Night of the Living Mostly, however, the movie seems to be under the influence of the early "Mad" magazine comic book spoofs, as written by Harvey Kurtzman and drawn, all bulging pecs and bursting bosoms, by Wally Wood.

The slightly too-handsome Campbell, with his Ultrabrite smile and sexy comma of black hair suspended over his forehead, bears a startling resemblance to Kurtzman and Wood's "Superduperman," and his char--acter seems to spring from a similar blend of wish-fulfillment (he gets the girl) and smart-alcck cynicism (who needs The "Evil Dead" films are essentially cruel slapstick comedies which the role of the spectac- from the exotic beauty in the forest and icons don't get involved. Costner plays a super-straight ex-Secret Serviceman hired to protect pop star Houston who has been receiving death threats. The least interesting element in The Bodyguard" is the story of Costner's trying to catch Houston's tormentor. The Bodyguard" is 100 minutes with two charismatic stars no more, no less. R.

BODY OF EVIDENCE (outlying). "Body of Evidence" is a stupid and empty thriller In which Madonna begs for attention in a way that seems far more desperate than her show-all "Sex book. How bad Is "Body of Evidence? It makes "Basic Instinct" look good. And Madonna makes Sharon Stone look even better. Madonna plays a similar controlling sex-pot who may be a murderer.

All evidence points to her as a black widow who mates older, rich men and kills with kinky sex. Defense attorney Willem Defoe falls for her and they have rough sex with dripping candles and broken glass. It's laughable and not sexy. R. BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA (Village and outlying).

With a title that refers to the original author, Francis Ford Coppola has raised the stakes on his new project, promising the definitive version of the vampire story. What he has created, however, Is fresh and original yet boring, an exercise more In art direction than storytelling. Gary Oldman plays a Dracu-la we haven't seen before, looking at times more like a grandmother with a beehive hairdo than the sleek Count of previous vampire films. But as Dracula pines for his long-lost love, who appears as his lawyer's fiance, Mina (Winona Ryder), Coppola's movie becomes muddy in its plot structure, losing energy with every overdecorated scene. Anthony Hopkins as the vampire expert Van Hefslrtg is entertaining but Isn't sole to right the course of this movie.

Coppola does deserve credit for filling each frame with magnificent costumes and mindboggllng effects, but they overwhelm the narrative. R. 'Vi THE CEMETERY CLUB (900 N. Michigan and outlying). A high-gloss version of The Golden Girls" with the Issue of the week Involving widows learning to em- New this week ALADDIN (Water Tower, Webster Place end outlying A better title for the est Disney animated musical would be "Genie," because Robin Williams steals the show as the dude in the lamp with the wishes.

Changing into more than 60 characters from Arsenio to Ed Sullivan the genie Is a major hoot as he helps a young street beggar turn into a prince and marry an embattled princess. The two young lovers aren't anything special, but their Arabian adventure has its pleasures, including a wisecracking parrot (voice by Gilbert Gottfried) perched on the shoulder of an evil king's adviser and a flying carpet with tassels for arms and legs. The songs aren't quite at the level with those in The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast," but this is still a major achievement that ought to please parents and adults. G. ALIVE (outlying).

A rousing, convincing treatment of the real-life story of the South American rugby team members who survived a 1972 plane crash In the Andes by choosing cannibalism over starvation. The physical production Is more impressive than the religious overlay given the story. But you can't help but put yourself in the story and Imagine what you would do. R. ARMY OF DARKNESS (Burnham Plaza, Chestnut Station end outlying).

This week's Flick of the Week. See above. R. Vi BAD LIEUTENANT (Fine Arts). Harvey Kectel gives a daring performance as a self-destructive New York cop who is a drug-addicted, gambling-addicted sexual thug.

In the pursuit of thugs who raped a nun, he will find personal redemption. At times Abel Ferrara's film comes across as bad Scorsese. But Keitel's fidelity to exploring his dark side in obscene detail holds the movie together. Rated NC-17 only) for language, violence, and sex. THE BODYGUARD (Piper Alley and outlying).

The Bodyguard" Is a corny but effective love story with Kevin Cost-ner doing his best Boy Scout number and Whitney Houston making an effective film debut in, quite sensibly, the role of a pop music star. Actually, The Bodyguard" Is more of a respect story than a love story. Costner and Houston are playing icons he's the solid gatekeeper keeping the wolves away See Flicks Picks on Page.