Extreme Sci-Fi Netflix Zombie Horror Is A Maniacal Genre Mashup
When you tune in to watch a Zack Snyder movie, you pretty much know that you’ll be in store for high-flying and extreme action set pieces, over-the-top characters, and a unique style that features more slow motion shots than you ever thought possible. Despite his love it or hate it approach to filmmaking, Snyder’s movies are almost always an entertaining way to kill a couple of hours, and Army of the Dead is no exception. The Netflix original film is a bonkers mashup of sci-fi and zombie horror, all neatly packaged as a heist thriller that puts its ensemble cast through the ringer as they run amok in the ruins of a post-apocalyptic Las Vegas.
The Original Premise Was Wildly Different
Army of the Dead may have been released in 2021, but the film had been stuck in development limbo since 2007, when Warner Bros. Pictures first announced the film. The movie was intended to be the perfect follow up for Snyder’s smash hit, 300, which hauled in over $450 million at the world wide box office in 2006. With a story by Snyder and a script penned by screenwriter Joby Harold, Army of the Dead was poised to be a gripping thriller about a father who is tasked with saving his daughter in the zombie-infested city of Las Vegas.
Transformed Into A Zombie Heist Movie
By the time Netflix acquired the rights to Army of the Dead in 2019, the film’s story underwent a massive transformation that took it from an emotional zombie drama to a no-holds-barred zombie heist thriller with more characters and a wider scope than Snyder had originally envisioned. With a budget of $90 million and a cast that features Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, and Hiroyuki Sanada, Army of the Dead began filming in July 2019. Following a limited release in theaters for a single week, the film debuted on Netflix on May 21, 2021.
Casinos, Carnage, and Catastrophe
Army of the Dead tells the story of Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada), a casino owner who approaches mercenary Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) about an opportunity to recover $200 million from a casino vault in Las Vegas, which has been overrun by a zombie horde for the last six years.
To sweeten the deal, Las Vegas will soon be wiped off the face of the earth with a tactical nuclear strike, aimed to finally rid the country of its zombie concern. After accepting Bly’s offer, Scott puts together a ragtag team of operators to help him infiltrate the city, fight off an army of zombies, and recover the lost money, all before they are turned into ash.
Not A Thinker, But Wildly Entertaining
From the first shot of the film to the final credits, Army of the Dead is a “check your brain at the door” experience that is much better when you limit your expectations. I knew there would be slow motion involved in this film, but the opening scene that showcases the downfall of Las Vegas is something I was not prepared for, and I mean that in a good way.
There is also a “blink and you might miss it” appearance from a pair of UFOs as a military convoy departs from Area 51, which only adds to the film’s dedication to keeping its foot on the gas.
Streaming Army Of The Dead On Netflix
GFR SCORE
Is there an Oscar-worthy performance from anybody in the cast? Absolutely not, but everyone does a great job with their roles, especially Bautista, who only further cements his leading man capabilities. Army of the Dead isn’t a great film, but it’s a fun, albeit very long, movie that is worth checking out on Netflix.
