{"id":27670,"date":"2021-05-24T09:40:52","date_gmt":"2021-05-24T13:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craigzablo.com\/?p=27670"},"modified":"2026-03-14T21:12:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-15T01:12:37","slug":"army-of-the-dead-z-view","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craigzablo.com\/?p=27670","title":{"rendered":"“Army of the Dead” directed by Zack Snyder, starring Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Ana de la Reguera, Omari Hardwick, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweigh\u00f6fer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, Garret Dillahunt, Tig Notaro, Ra\u00fal Castillo, Huma Qureshi\u00a0and Richard Cetrone \/ Z-View"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Army of the Dead<\/em><\/strong> (2021)<\/p>\n

Director: Zack Snyder<\/strong><\/p>\n

Screenplay: Zack Snyder<\/strong> & Shay Hatten<\/strong> and Joby Harold.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stars:\u00a0 Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Ana de la Reguera, Omari Hardwick, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweigh\u00f6fer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, Garret Dillahunt, Tig Notaro, Ra\u00fal Castillo, Huma Qureshi\u00a0<\/strong>and Richard Cetrone.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tagline: Always Bet on Dead.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Overview:\u00a0 Beware of Spoilers\u2026<\/p>\n

Las Vegas has been overrun by zombies.\u00a0 The President has ordered the city walled off and set for nuclear destruction in 48 hours.\u00a0 The clock is ticking…<\/p>\n

Scott Ward is ex-military.\u00a0 Most of his team survived the zombie outbreak in Vegas when they were sent in to save high ranking government officials.\u00a0 Ward was given a medal for his efforts.\u00a0 Now he flips burgers in a diner.\u00a0 So when super-rich Bly Tanaka offers Ward $50 million to put together a team to enter the city and get $200 million from Bly’s casino vault, Ward accepts the offer.<\/p>\n

Ward brings together his crew: former members of his military squad plus a helicopter pilot to fly them out, an adrenaline junkie, a safe cracker and a “coyote” who knows how to get into the city. Odds are they will all die, but the team agrees the risk is worth the reward.<\/p>\n

Tanaka provides them with schematics of the safe, weapons and his security captain who will go along to make sure that they don’t run off with all the cash should they survive.<\/p>\n

As the team moves into the city they learn that not all zombies are created equal.\u00a0 Some are fast moving, with the ability to think and communicate with the other zombies.\u00a0 There is almost a hive mentality about them.<\/p>\n

Not everyone on Ward’s team has the same outcome in mind.\u00a0 There are plot twists and betrayals.\u00a0 Friendships form, relationships are tested and most will not survive.<\/p>\n

Thoughts…<\/strong><\/p>\n

I love Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead<\/em>.\u00a0 The action starts immediately.\u00a0 The opening scenes hint at how the zombie apocalypse started and how deadly the zombies are.\u00a0 Snyder uses the credits to creatively show the fall of Vegas.\u00a0 This is definitely a Zack Snyder movie — if you’re not a fan of his work, you probably won’t like this.\u00a0 If you are a fan, then there’s a lot to love.<\/p>\n

The cast is excellent.\u00a0 Because there are so many characters, each with a unique personality, it is important to get the right actors for each role.\u00a0 Several standout: Bautista, Purnell, Hardwick & Schweigh\u00f6fer, Rossi, Dillahunt and Notaro shine.<\/p>\n

Snyder isn’t just making a movie, he’s creating a universe.\u00a0 There are two Army of the Dead<\/em> prequels in development (one animated!) and there is the possibility of a sequel.\u00a0 Snyder doesn’t give us all the answers — instead he provides us with enough information to fill in the blanks. There are nods to other movies (Aliens<\/em>, Planet of the Apes<\/em>, etc.).\u00a0 The soundtrack is excellent.<\/p>\n

If you’re just looking for a fun ride, Army of the Dead<\/em> provides one.\u00a0 However, if you like to look deeper into the film. there’s a lot there to discuss.\u00a0 Were those UFOs in the opening credits?\u00a0 What about the robot zombie?\u00a0 What was it doing there?\u00a0 Where did it come from? (And the exposition of the robot is so subtle, I missed it on the first viewing.)\u00a0 How did the first zombie get created?\u00a0 And THAT ending!!<\/p>\n

Tig Notaro replaced Chris D’Elia\u00a0 when allegations of D’Elia’s sexual misconduct surfaced.\u00a0 Notaro was digitally inserted into many scenes.\u00a0 Although she often shares the screen with Bautista, they two never actually met.<\/p>\n