Army of the Dead [Zack Snyder, Netflix]

McFly85 · 22-05-2021 12:04pm

Expected some dumb fun, but it was just dumb. The script was all over the place.

Like, with the reveal of Tanakas true intentions. Why the deception? Just hire a crew to kidnap that alpha Zombie instead.

And with the villain who took the head, why did he go back to the crew? He could have just left straight away, they were on the edge of the Zombie territory which didn't take them long to get to in the first place.

The whole thing with Wards daughter and tacked on love interest was pointless, it completely shifted the tone, and slowed everything right down. It was made worse with the fact that everything his daughter does is mind numbingly stupid. We're supposed to root for her because she's his daughter but she leaves to go to the alpha zombie nest with one pistol hoping to find someone who didn't bother to escape themselves even though they weren't being guarded, and ultimately her actions get everyone killed.

I could go on!

I still like the idea of a Vegas Zombie heist, but it would have worked far better if the target of the heist was Tanakas daughter who was being kept deep in the bowels of Zombie territory who he hopes to cure, but then they find out he's only interested in creating his own Zombie army or something. Still dumb, just less dumb.

Once again I've been drawn in by a trailer for a Snyder film only to be disappointed! Will I ever learn :rolleyes:

kerplun k · 22-05-2021 3:02pm

Wasn’t great. Probably one of ZS weakest films.

Opening montage..... was that aliens flying off or just a bit of thunder and lightning?

The White Wolf · 22-05-2021 4:05pm

The more I think of it the story works quite well if you're viewing it as the original gang who escaped Las Vegas originally, are knowingly embracing death where it all started.

el Fenomeno · 22-05-2021 4:18pm

The film is also immediately ruined when your other half points out to you at the start that Dave Bautista looks like he is in a perpetual state of "about to sneeze".

We were in stitches during the last scene in particularly if you keep that in mind.

B.A._Baracus · 22-05-2021 5:47pm

Watched it last night too. I thought it was pretty decent. Bit too long tho at 2 and a half hours but not a bad way to spend a Friday night.

Certainly won't be the movie of the year but won't be any where near the worst too.

Brief_Lives · 22-05-2021 8:07pm

i watched it... dumb as a salad....

ongarite · 22-05-2021 8:13pm

The plot really breaks down if you think about it.

Why didn't Martin and the Coyote leave after taking the queen's head?
There were near where they entered and was no danger near that area so just backtrack.
He had already betrayed the group so what's the point in joining them again?

Its been many years since Vegas was walled in.
Why didn't the army lure or takeout the shamblers in that time rather than nuke the place?

Daughter tries to rescue Geeta who then gets forgotten about as soon as she is rescued

McDermotX · 22-05-2021 8:49pm

Terrible

Even for what you expect from it.

CastorTroy · 22-05-2021 9:33pm

ongarite wrote: »

Daughter tries to rescue Geeta who then gets forgotten about as soon as she is rescued

I had to go back and check she died in the crash, though was hard to tell as only showed part of her slouched over.

Whatever about surviving that long after the bite, was it not a bit suspicious that he was able to walk out of a nuclear blast site. Maybe I'm mistaken, but I'm sure there would be some fallout right after a nuclear bomb.

Homelander · 22-05-2021 10:56pm

I really, really enjoyed it with a few beers. Decent take on a tired genre.

FortuneChip · 23-05-2021 2:20am

Concept was a lot better than the execution.

Stupid film, not necessarily awful but fairly stupid.

Corholio · 23-05-2021 3:24am

What an awful, boring film. As a poster said earlier, had every single trope in the group and even in zombie movies in general. Can't think of one different even half cool thing in the film. Designs were dull, dialogue was poor, gore was pretty boring all told. Wasn't expecting much but don't think I'll remember much of it in about a weeks time.

Homelander · 23-05-2021 12:40pm

Also thought I was seeing things with the

terminator robot zombies

.

The hell was that about?

There are other things too like

the "whitewalker" eyes, the dying fetus that was glowing, the blue blood stuff, etc.

None of which is addressed which is a head scratcher. Is the implication that

the army created zombies via alien/future tech because the main zombie came from Area 51

But like....what was with

the robot zombies. That's the part I really don't get. Who made them....and why.

The film doesn't really suggest that this level of technology exists in the world to make such a thing possible via human means ala a Marvel movie, or whatever.

ThePott · 23-05-2021 12:46pm

Apparently there's also a UFO in the opening that I didn't catch and couldn't be bothered going back to check.
I'm sure it's for subsequent sequels and spin-offs to explore.

Mr E · 23-05-2021 12:49pm

Homelander wrote: »

Also thought I was seeing things with the
terminator robot zombies
.

The hell was that about?

There are other things too like
the "whitewalker" eyes, the dying fetus that was glowing, the blue blood stuff, etc.

None of which is addressed which is a head scratcher. Is the implication that
the army created zombies via alien/future tech because the main zombie came from Area 51

But like....what was with
the robot zombies. That's the part I really don't get. Who made them....and why.

The film doesn't really suggest that this level of technology exists in the world to make such a thing possible via human means ala a Marvel movie, or whatever.

I'd say the studio hacked it to pieces and it will all be revealed in the 4 hour Snyd... ummm.. never mind.

It was a 5/10 watchable movie, but I'm not inclined to watch it again.

earthwormjack · 23-05-2021 4:53pm

Well that was awful. Horribly paced, full of really dumb sub plots and could have easily been 90mins instead of 150. I'm all for dumb fun movies but this was horrible in every department.

Slydice · 23-05-2021 5:09pm

One thing that might help with some of the questions was that.. I was looking up some of the characters and noticed that there's a bunch of Prequels in the works. Like Dieter is getting a film about thieves.. think the (at least some of the) rest of em are going to be showing up in a TV series. Much seems to be focused on how they came to be where they were at the start of this film.

Dieter example: Army of Thieves
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13024674/

gmisk · 23-05-2021 5:15pm

It was fine, it was a really fun idea with some very decent parts but it felt overly long. Lots of plot holes and bit all over the place.
I am guessing

Dieter might still be alive? We didn't see him getting killed?

I enjoyed the Tig Notaro character I have to say.
Fun with a few beers 6/10, will probably watch prequel tbh

Skerries · 23-05-2021 7:06pm

Homelander wrote: »

Also thought I was seeing things with the
terminator robot zombies
.
[/SPOILER]

yeah that had me totally confused wondering where the hell they came from

Snake Plisken · 23-05-2021 8:48pm

Screen Rants Pitch Meeting on the money as usual

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC1LiBBkDdo

razorblunt · 23-05-2021 8:59pm

It’s nonsense, far too long, far too clichéd and way too many slow mo and “nods” to other movies, including quite a lot just blatantly stolen.

It just makes no sense:

They weren’t the first crew sent in, is this the first time they came across the Coyote?

All they needed to do was take her, kill the soldier fella, leave. Job done.

mikhail · 23-05-2021 9:03pm

Complaining about excessive slow motion in a Snyder movie at this stage is like complaining about symmetry in a Wes Anderson movie, or tension in a Hitchcock.

Banjaxed82 · 24-05-2021 12:35am

It's been a while since a concept so failed to live up to the craic I thought I was going to have in my head.

If Snyder had as much enthusiasm for the story, plot and characters as he does for spectacle then this could have gone places.

Would love to have seen this concept in the hands of a filmmaker who's not obsessed with forcing his visuals down your throat.

R.I.P. to the poor focus puller on this film. Must have been exhausting. Cause it was exhausting to watch.

Story is king, but there's only one star of a Zack Snyder film... Zack Snyder.

spookwoman · 24-05-2021 1:22am

Watched it last night and thought with the start it was going to be enjoyable mindless action and gore. Mindless it was and that was about it. The start was the only decent bit after that it was zoning out every few minutes and forgetting what happened.
Can I have 2 hours and 20 odd minutes of my life back please.

Atlantic Dawn · 24-05-2021 1:23am

As mentioned, way way too long, an hour could be cut from it easily.

Denny61 · 24-05-2021 1:24am

It's,got to be one of the worst movies I've ever watched.

eddhorse · 24-05-2021 9:45am

Way too long alright at 2.5 hours.
Just too many unanswered questions and yes i know its a zombie "leave your brain at home" movie.
That screen rant video sums it up perfectly even though he missed some vital stuff.

Did they carry fuel in for the helicopter? That must have been heavy.

If they had a grinder saw, why use it to cut a wall and not just cut the bolt on the grate?

Generous 6/10

p to the e · 24-05-2021 10:02am

Well that was awful. Admittedly the zombie tiger would have been a surprise if it hadn't been front and centre in the trailer. Did no one think to edit this film?

Sabre0001 · 24-05-2021 10:12am

I think if it had gone for purely style over substance, I would have enjoyed it much more. The escape from the casino, for example, was nicely executed with typical Snyder style. But it tried to take itself seriously and actually have a (nonsensical) plot and pretty much falls apart (and drags on) because of that. Haven't watched the Pitch Meeting yet, but they're always on the money and picking this movie apart will be super easy, barely an inconvenience.

Lots of plot points that can be questioned, even though it's really not a film that deserves thinking too much about...

Why spend so many days before the heist just faffing around - doesn't seem like they even plan what they're going to do. Time within the city is all over the place - they have 20 mins before nuke but daughter manages to trek into another hotel and up to where hostages are being kept, Dave has to get a helicopter to same place, and then they still have time to get out. Helicopter crashes tend not to be ones you walk away from. Man survives nuclear winter (and why didn't Dieter also go into vault - and do all zombies get nuked in underground or just decide to leave?) before sloooowly succumbing to bite. And so much more!

But yes...not one to think about further!

Hyzepher · 24-05-2021 10:18am

Banjaxed82 wrote: »

R.I.P. to the poor focus puller on this film. Must have been exhausting. Cause it was exhausting to watch.

Apparently there wasn't even 1 pull in the whole movie - hence the somewhat out of focus look

Army of the Dead [Zack Snyder, Netflix]

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