Army of the Dead (2021)
Netflix
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Written by: Zack Snyder, Shay Hatten, Jody Harold
Starring: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Theo Rossi, Tig Notaro, Nora Arnezeder
Zack Snyder’s newest IP, Army of the Dead, was a big, dirty, violent, dramatic, 2.5 hour blockbuster that left me wanting more and more.
The film had everything I wanted in a zombie film: Zombies, guns, explosions, characters I couldn’t wait to see die, blood, guts, tigers, and Elvis impersonators.
The opening credits, featuring a number from Richard Cheese, rivaled some of Snyder’s best (Watchmen may still be #1). From jump, I was so sold on this movie.
The plot was easy to follow and the characters had heart and purpose. There were unexpected twists and turns; the zombies not being typical zombies really piqued my interest and made me wish that someone would explore their origins a bit further.
Typically, I love Snyder’s work visually, but this film had some moments where they used a “dream lens” and personally I’m not into it. I get the aesthetic, what they are going for, and I can appreciate the artistry behind it, it’s just not always for me. It can be in doses but I found myself squinting to try and focus in on what was going on.
Interestingly, Snyder was able to replace an actor in full with Tig Notaro and outside of 2 small frames it was almost totally unnoticeable. I told a friend after the movie was over and he had no idea and immediately Googled it.
Besides the small lens gripe, I wish Army of the Dead had a bit more action because every action scene was a knock out of the park. This movie had some amazing dialogue and each one of the characters served a purpose and had great performances. Dave Bautista proved again that he’s the best wrestler-turned-actor to grace the screen and the rest of the cast was great as well. I kind of wish he had a Gatling gun, though (wrestling fans will get it).
There was one scene in the vault area that blew my mind into another stratosphere. So my DMs are wide open if y’all wanna talk about that. I couldn’t tell if it was just a line or a plot point for later installments but man, I’d love to pick Zack’s brain regarding this one specific scene and the dialogue. It hit me harder than anything in any movie in recent years. (Congrats, Zack!)
I’m excited for the Army of Thieves prequel and the animated film as well. Hopefully, we can get a sequel or three and really explore this world and the events that transpire both before and after.
Solid A. Eat popcorn, watch the movie, and get ready for this universe. Netflix, keep it coming.