Ash Vs. Evil Dead: Hail to the King! Ash is back! - A review

Groovy! Yesterday the first episode of the series "Ash vs. Evil Dead" ran at Starz, which is now continuing the Evil Dead franchise in series form. Sam Raimi, creator of the original, his longtime producing partner Rob Tapert, and the lead actor of all three original films, Bruce Campbell, are on board with the production. After years of rumors of a sequel and endless merchandise like figures or survival horror games or multiple crossover comics, the chainsaw-wielding, boomstick-one-handed troublemaker can finally be hailed again! Already the first 4 minutes show that the series continues the horror and absurd humor of the films and is thus able to inspire the fans all around! Hail to the King!

The first episode begins with Deep Purple's "Space Truckin'," the seventh and final anthem on the disc, "Machine Head," a misanthropic sci-fi adventure released at a time when some rock 'n' roll bands were dying like David Bowie or Pink Floyd dealt with the topic. The song is characteristic of the time and decades later it comes along a bit dull and with an addictive thrill. The same could be said of Sam Raimi's cult horror franchise and Bruce Campbell's anti-hero Ashley "Ash" Williams. Here's Ash 30 years later, wearing a makeshift brace and shiny dentures, in a slumming trailer park in his RV. At Deep Purple we experience the king's "celebratory return" and how he gets ready for the evening's raid. He also drinks Hohes-C and a few minutes later makes his way into town and to the bar, where of course he can persuade a lady to have sex in the toilet. But for Ash, it's going to be Bad Sex like you guys at first watch four minutes can.

Ash, the veteran who used to work as a shelf stocker at the S-Mart and finds an ancient book, the Necronomicon, on a trip to the forest, which announces doom and unleashes evil, hasn't gotten much smarter over the years . It occurs to him that he was recently high on drugs reading from the Necronomicon, which awakens evil and unleashes the demons on him and the whole world! But what the hell happened to the medieval hero? After all the troubles, he still maintains a dirty lifestyle. Which could explain why he's still struggling as a lousy shelf stocker at another supermarket chain, Value Stop. We still remember when he once proudly declared: "In my own way, I am king." Well, you've probably created a very small kingdom. At the supermarket, Ash works with cleaner Pablo Simon Bolivar (Ray Santiago), a 20-year-old of Honduran descent whose uncle was a shaman, a brujo who warned him about such evils and also said to look out for a guide , an El Jefe, and of course Pablo now believes that leader to be Ash. Pablo's love belongs to new collaborator Kelly Maxwell (Dana DeLorenzo), also in her twenties, but far more cynical and aloof after the recent loss of her mother. Her sharp tongue and Ash's sayings are sure to provide plenty of laughs in future episodes.

For the past 30 years, Ash has shied away from taking responsibility, growing up, and facing the Evil Dead. Now Ash has to face the demons - his personal and those of flesh and blood. Because fate has no interest in freeing the unconventional hero from the clutches of evil. The idealistic immigrant Bolivar becomes Ash's loyal sidekick, similar to Sancho Panza in Don Quixote. His companion believes in Ash and the hero who is in him, even if Ash does not himself. Kelly is a moody tomboy who tries to run away from her own past. Against her will, she becomes entangled in Ash and Pablo's fight against evil and finds a kind of surrogate family with them. The whole city is in trouble and so is not only the perfect fodder for the power of the demons, but also has to assert itself through a select handful of fresh believers and warriors. One of the brave souls is Amanda Fisher (Jill Marie Jones), a Michigan State Police officer who loses her partner to the dark with a deadite after a spooky house call.

"El Jefe" is a lot of fun in its manic 40 minutes. In any case, Sam Raimi, his older brother Ivan and TV writer veteran Tom Spezialy do some things right with their script and present a great mix of horror, suspense and comedy and thus create the desire for more. Raimi also masters the camera as usual, giving the scenes his trademark magic, impossible angles, whiplash cuts and well-known POV shots of the invisible force from the original films. Campbell, now 57, shows us he's a remarkable actor, pushing the limits of physical ability where even the most daring stunt coordinators would cringe in pain. Already in the first episode, Raimi has his longtime friend smash flowerpots over his head and throw himself into panes of glass. With slapstick, Campbell in his most famous role leads through the series with ease, which gives hope for an exciting and great future for die-hard fans.

Nine more episodes of 30 minutes each are still waiting for us, which will total around 310 minutes. In comparison, the original trilogy "only" lasts a paltry 257 minutes. 10 episodes of the first season of the series "Ash vs. Evil Dead" have been produced, a 2nd season is already in the works. The previous mythology of the films is expanded with fresh new themes and there is not a second of boredom or dusty nostalgia, as the past is touched upon, but not placed in the center. So this series becomes the actual fourth part of the Evil Dead films. A great start to a (perhaps) loud and thunderous adventure, if the pilot episode's promising chemistry and humor is retained and complemented with deeper and more exciting things. A great start and I'm already looking forward to the upcoming episode(s)!