After giving six years of his life to the now stunted DC Universe, Zack Snyder needed a break. Going back to his imaginative, violent storytelling, Zack set his sights upon directing Army of the Dead from an original idea of his own. With Netflix ultimately won over by his pitch for the movie, Zack had all the freehand he needed to create a visceral, violent film, and he delivered flawlessly.
The plot involves a group of misfits brought together by Dave Batista to crack open a vault underneath Las Vegas. With 200 million dollars in the bank vault, there is only one problem. Las Vegas is closed off from the rest of the world, with hordes of flesh-eating zombies occupying its deserted streets. As the team warily makes its way into the city, the Zombie alpha and his soldier lie in wait, watching their every move. Will, the group, succumb to predictable infighting, or will they make it to the vault in time before the military nukes the city?
Who plays who in this violent zombie drama (Army of the Dead)?
Another great thing about the movie is its cast. There’s the stoic fearless leader Scott Ward (played by Dave Batista) while Maria Cruz plays a fearless female badass who is also Scott’s ex-girlfriend. A quirky German locksmith is also part of the team, played flawlessly by Matthias Schweighöfer whilst Omari Hardwick plays a grizzled former soldier carrying most of the firepower. Tig Notaro is also in the film, playing a no-nonsense helicopter pilot whilst Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi plays a single mother who inadvertently goes into zombie-infested LA to save her children
Snyder is known for his visuals, and Army of the Dead is no different in this regard. The lighting is perfect, and the zombie makeup is some of the best we have ever seen. Furthermore, the aerial shots of a deserted Los Angeles are haunting whilst the close-in gunfights in the casino are in a league of their own.
The action is fast-paced and brutal, and Snyder keeps things interesting by shooting the film in a handheld documentary style. The zombies are also evolved; instead of the slow, easy-to-kill zombies that make up most of the movie, the zombies are intelligent, fast-paced, and easily able to use their superior numbers and speed to outflank their opponent. Of particular note is the CGI, which provides an added layer of realism to the story.
How does it stack up against Snyder’s previous outings?
Running at about 150 minutes, Army of the Dead is overly long but makes up for its runtime with great characters, violent zombie attacks, and a heartbreaking and shocking finale. The film showcases Zack Snyder unhindered by creative control and is thus a beautiful odyssey of gore, nihilism, and desperation set against futuristic Los Angeles. While not one of Zack’s finest films (that crown is bestowed to Dawn Army of the Dead and Watchmen), Army of the Dead is nevertheless an entertaining spectacle that should be a great crowd-pleaser.