Netflix and Zack Snyder’s take on the zombie story is definitely interesting.Army of the Deadis certainlynot a basic zombie movie. Snyder is mainly known at the momentfor making DC moviesandhaving rather passionate fans, so it’s intriguing to see his take on the somewhat classic tale of people vs. zombies. Netflix might have been counting on said passionate fans to makeArmy of the Deada hit for the streaming service,and it certainly has a lot of potential. Snyder not only directed the film but also wrote the story and co-wrote the screenplay. The movie was initially announced in 2007, but it remained stuck at Warner Bros. before Netflix bought the rights in 2019. Now that it’s finally released, Snyder’s passionate fan base, lovers of the zombie story, and more can see it.
Even those who are not usually into the genre might enjoy it. The story mainly follows Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), who Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada) hires to break into a zombie-infested Las Vegas. He must bring with him a team, including a safecracker named Ludwig Dieter (Matthias Schweighöfer) to unlock a safe beneath a casino and a pilotnamed Marianne Peters (Tig Notaro)to get him and his team out of there.
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However, things don’t go exactly as planned. Scott ends up also bringing his estranged daughter Kate (Ella Purnell) along. Kate hopes to find a friend of hers named Geeta (Huma Qureshi), who Lily (Nora Arnezeder) brought into the city of Las Vegas. Vanderohe (Omari Hardwick), Maria Cruz (Ana de la Reguera), Mikey Guzman (Raùl Castillo), Chambers (Samantha Win), and Burt Cummings (Theo Rossi) make up the rest of the team.
Tanaka also forces them to bring his associate Martin (Garret Dillahunt) along.Most of the main characters are interestingand seem to have their own reasons for going on this journey. Only perhaps Burt Cummings and Martin are not very intriguing. The most compelling of them all, however, is Scott’s daughter Kate. She is a volunteer at a camp outside of the city of Las Vegas. Her friend Geeta has two children, therefore they need her. Viewers also see, through flashbacks, some of Scott and Kate’s stories. Don’t worry, there are no spoilers here.Army of the Dead, however, also offers plenty of action as well as emotion. The story is partially a zombie movie and partially a heist movie. It’s basically likeOcean’s 11,except with a zombie twist.
The story is surprisingly fun, and that might be down to the heist element. As well as the camaraderie between the main characters. Every cast member has chemistry with every other one and the team becomes a sort of family while trying to pull off the heist. Throughout it all, Scott and Kate remain the heart of the story. Viewers might find themselves rooting for these characters, as unconventional heroes as they might be. From safecracker Dieter to pilot Peters to Lily who helps the team get into Las Vegas in the first place, most of these characters are worth rooting for. Scott and Kate have several heart-to-heart talks throughout the story. And by the end, one’s heart breaks for them. They remain the emotional heart of the story, while still being part of the action.
The main characters, exceptfor Scott and Kate, start out being in it for the money but eventually become protagonists who are easy to relate to. These characters may be sort of anti-heroes but they are certainly no less for that. There are surprisingly several heart-warming moments between members of the team. And of course, Scott and Kate are there, providing a ton of emotion.
Overall,Army of the Deadmanages to somehow be both a fun heist story and an action-packed zombie thriller while also keeping viewers emotionally engaged. Of course, no story is perfect. Some of the twists are predictable and some of the jokes don’t land very well. The movie is also long and slow in parts, though the main story is strong.Army of the Deadis definitely worth the watch on Netflix, though it probably could have been slightly shorter.
Of course,Army of the Deadprobably won’t appeal to everyone, but it is definitely worth checking out.Army of the Deadmight also appeal to viewers who do not usually like such stories, and there are also plenty of treats for fans of the genre. Action and blood and guts have their place in the story, don’t worry. Yet it’s the characters and the heist element that will keep those who are not usually into zombie movies watching. Snyder and the writers also do well with the emotional elements of the story, though they are not too overbearing. All in all,Army of the Deadis a movie that one can’t take their eyes off of.
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Army of the Dead
From director Zach Snyder, Army of the Dead combines the zombie apocalypse and heist genres in an exciting twist on the classic action film. Approached to retrieve $200 million dollars from a casino vault in the now zombie-ridden Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries embarks on the mission, unaware of what dangers await them inside the quarantined city limits.
