MSRP: £17.99
Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3 Review
Bruce Campbell's Ash goes out in a blaze of glory in the final season of Ash vs Evil Dead.
Sam Raimi's 1981 Evil Dead was a totally unexpected cult phenomenon, redefining the careers of almost all those involved, and leaving fans, the best part of 40 years later, still - almost equally unexpectedly - reaping the rewards. Despite a great tour in Burn Notice, Campbell remains most commonly associated with his Evil Dead role as the chainsaw-wielding Ash.
Whilst a remake was almost a given, considering that basically anything that was vaguely successful in the 80s and 90s is fair game for big and small screen reworking these days, Evil Dead got more than just a cinematic revision, seeing Bruce Campbell unexpectedly called upon to reprise his role in what proved to be an equally surprisingly long-running new TV series.
Although always envisioned to run across about 5 seasons, the third year of Ash vs Evil Dead perhaps wisely, perhaps unfortunately, takes time out to do something of a soft reboot, revelling in the saving-the-world climax of what has come before and in Ash's back-to-the-store day job before unleashing a new, old evil for him to confront, with returning co-stars - good and bad - all present and accounted for on the voyage.
Perhaps there was an intention to get the show back on track, but the third season of Ash vs Evil Dead arguably should have taken the gamble and gone full Mad Max long before its finale, rather than just tease what could have come next (think: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' Season 2 finale), affording longterm fans essentially another pretty familiar year of undead ass-kicking that has its fair share of excellent moments, fun, bloody, squelching, monsters and tanks, but isn't really different enough from everything that has come before. A fact which almost certainly contributed to its demise.
Whilst a remake was almost a given, considering that basically anything that was vaguely successful in the 80s and 90s is fair game for big and small screen reworking these days, Evil Dead got more than just a cinematic revision, seeing Bruce Campbell unexpectedly called upon to reprise his role in what proved to be an equally surprisingly long-running new TV series.
Another pretty familiar year of undead ass-kicking that has its fair share of excellent moments.
Although always envisioned to run across about 5 seasons, the third year of Ash vs Evil Dead perhaps wisely, perhaps unfortunately, takes time out to do something of a soft reboot, revelling in the saving-the-world climax of what has come before and in Ash's back-to-the-store day job before unleashing a new, old evil for him to confront, with returning co-stars - good and bad - all present and accounted for on the voyage.
Perhaps there was an intention to get the show back on track, but the third season of Ash vs Evil Dead arguably should have taken the gamble and gone full Mad Max long before its finale, rather than just tease what could have come next (think: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' Season 2 finale), affording longterm fans essentially another pretty familiar year of undead ass-kicking that has its fair share of excellent moments, fun, bloody, squelching, monsters and tanks, but isn't really different enough from everything that has come before. A fact which almost certainly contributed to its demise.
Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3 Blu-ray Picture
The final season of Ash vs. Evil Dead gets a generally very good 1080p/AVC-encoded High Definition video presentation, framed in the show's original airing aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen.
Detail is superb, lapping up skin textures, clothing weaves and background flourishes, both in the 'normal' world, and when things start to get all groovy. Blood splatter spices things up, and the clarity on Ash's hand 'features' always quite impressive. There's a slightly variable layer of grain that affects some scenes more than others, but it never threatens to ruin your enjoyment of a colourful show.
The palette is fairly broad and varied, notwithstanding the night setting, with strong black levels offering a solid backdrop to the stronger tones that appear frequently, courtesy of Ash's clothing choices. Overall, it's a very good video presentation which does a great job presenting the show in the best way fans could hope for.
Detail is superb, lapping up skin textures, clothing weaves and background flourishes, both in the 'normal' world, and when things start to get all groovy. Blood splatter spices things up, and the clarity on Ash's hand 'features' always quite impressive. There's a slightly variable layer of grain that affects some scenes more than others, but it never threatens to ruin your enjoyment of a colourful show.
A very good video presentation.
The palette is fairly broad and varied, notwithstanding the night setting, with strong black levels offering a solid backdrop to the stronger tones that appear frequently, courtesy of Ash's clothing choices. Overall, it's a very good video presentation which does a great job presenting the show in the best way fans could hope for.
Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3 Blu-ray Sound
Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3 steps up to the plate with a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track which provides a superb accompaniment that will engulf and dazzle in equal measure, with an intensity that helps flavour the piece.
Dialogue remains firmly prioritised across the frontal array, with Campbell's distinctive vocals providing the backbone to the piece, whilst effects revel in the more supernatural aspects, the imaginative weaponry, the booming gunshots and snarling undead, with grander setpieces than you might expect peppering this final arc. LFE follows suit and delivers the goods, whilst a thrumming score furthers the intoxicating effect, with a suitably in-your-face feel that is commensurate to the tone of the show.
A suitably in-your-face feel that is commensurate to the tone of the show.
Dialogue remains firmly prioritised across the frontal array, with Campbell's distinctive vocals providing the backbone to the piece, whilst effects revel in the more supernatural aspects, the imaginative weaponry, the booming gunshots and snarling undead, with grander setpieces than you might expect peppering this final arc. LFE follows suit and delivers the goods, whilst a thrumming score furthers the intoxicating effect, with a suitably in-your-face feel that is commensurate to the tone of the show.
Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3 Blu-ray Extras
The great extras include commentaries for every single episode as well as mini-featurettes for most.
Conclusion
Ash vs Evil Dead Season 3 Blu-ray Review
Ash vs Evil Dead arguably has no right to exist at all, but it's great that it does, with the show surviving for an equally surprising three seasons no less, and this latest - and unfortunately but unsurprisingly last - affording a soft reboot of sorts which intended to take things to a whole new level for its next year, Ash's Beyond the Thunderdome, as it were. Now that's only the stuff of dreams, but fans can still enjoy the fun run-up.
The Blu-ray release of Season 3 delivers an excellent package in spite of the fact that it is the last, affording very good video and excellent audio, as well as a Commentary for each and every one of the 10 episodes, and mini-featurettes for most too. Fans should consider this a must-have conclusion to their Evil Dead collection.
Fans should consider this a must-have conclusion to their Evil Dead collection.
The Blu-ray release of Season 3 delivers an excellent package in spite of the fact that it is the last, affording very good video and excellent audio, as well as a Commentary for each and every one of the 10 episodes, and mini-featurettes for most too. Fans should consider this a must-have conclusion to their Evil Dead collection.
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