ARMY OF THE DEAD

US, 2021, 149 minutes, Colour.

Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweighofer, Hiroyuki Sanada, Garrett Dillahunt, Tig Notaro.

Directed by Zack Snyder.

Who said that zombies were dead? Well, of course they are – but, after all the zombie films in recent years, is the zombie genre dead? Well, no. Here is an Army of the Dead. And they are on screen for 2 ½ hours!

In 2004, Zack Snyder (later to come to prominence and controversy with 300 as well as the Superman, Batman and Justice League sagas), did a variation on the classic zombie films of George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead…). This one was Dawn of the Dead.

With this new film, it is not a remake of a Romero story but, obviously, the influence is there while there are many variations on the theme.

Released through Netflix, the bloggers instantly went into action during May 2021. Fans proclaimed this is a masterpiece, inventive and creative. Non-fans (and trolls) went to work condemning it for its lack of originality, for cramming all kinds of conventions into a long (and for them, boring) zombie rising.

Clearly, this is a film for those who enjoy the zombie genre. It is graphic in its presentation of the zombies, the gory deaths turning humans into zombies, some slashing, shooting, splattering of pursuing zombies. The film is for those who have this kind of splatter-tolerance (or eagerness).

There is a variation on the zombie theme. The zombies still live and doing their walk of the dead pursuit. However, they are living a kind of life, with some intelligence, having a leader who rides on a horse, a leader who has a queen. (There is also an infected hybrid Tiger on the prowl).

The opening shows a couple married in Las Vegas distracted by sex, crashing into a huge military convoy – releasing the zombies, who create mayhem (vividly displayed) in Las Vegas which then has to be walled off, quarantined, plans for nuclear warhead to be dropped on the city to eliminate the disaster.

And then the heist narrative is introduced, a Japanese businessman rounding up Scott (former wrestler turned actor, Dave Bautista) and his contacts, men and women, who can get into Las Vegas, combat the zombies, open a safe in the basement of a hotel where millions of dollars are stashed. So, the film becomes something of a mission impossible, or something of the 21^st-century Dirty Dozen invasion. The dozen is quite a motley crowd, a couple of mercenaries, a timid German safe cracker, a sleazy government official (so he says), some warrior women, and even Scott’s daughter who is also on a rescue mission.

Which means then lots of combat, some doublecrossing, the opening of the safe, the retrieval of the money, the threats from the zombies.

Actually, a subtitle might be that one from the Agatha Christie story, And Then There were None…

So, who escapes, what about Las Vegas, any survivors? Any indications that there could be a sequel? Of course, yes.

1. The continued popularity of zombie films? Especially from the 1960s? The work of George A.Romero? Zack Snyder and his remake of Romero’s Day of the Dead? The influence here? Going beyond?
2. A different imagining of zombies? The infections, the attacks on humans, yet having lives, banding together, the leader and his queen, her pregnancy?? Self-protective, aggressive?
3. This context for the heist narrative, the vault in Las Vegas? And a variation on a military operation, a 21^st-century Dirty Dozen? And the theme of, And Then There Were…?
4. The familiarity of the plot? Taking up various themes from horror films? The emphasis on gore, the explicit gore developed over the decades? Graphic? And the special effects?
5. The prologue, the couple married in Las Vegas, sex, the crash, the military carrying the container with a zombies, the banter with the drivers, the crash and explosions, headquarters, the warnings, the military pursued, transformed? The visuals of the vampire escape, in Las Vegas, the mayhem? The walls around Las Vegas? Isolated? The plan to drop the nuclear bomb?
6. Scott, seen in the introduction fighting the zombies? His work, his having to kill his wife, his daughter witnessing this, his nightmares, the years of antagonism? His range of friends and associates?
7. The Japanese entrepreneur, the government, proposing the job, the safe and the money? The deal, payment?
8. The recruiting of the team, Scott and his connections, the friendship with Vanderohe, with Mikey Grossman, their past exploits, their characters? Maria, the past association, a link with Katie? The helicopter pilot? The safe breaker? Lilly, the Coyote, on guard, the clash with Katie? Martin, representing the government, his insisting on his presence? The buildup of the detail of the team? The tests, the training?
9. Burt Cummings, his military role, accosting Maria and Katie, the threats, the sexual attitude? Lilly choosing him as an extra member of the team, the deal with the zombies, his being sacrificed, as punishment for his predatory behaviour? His torment? The finale and his final confrontation with the women?
10. The situation in Las Vegas, the leader, his queen, the other zombies and their following him? The presence of the guarding Tiger, contaminated? The leader and his riding the horse?
11. The team going in, the deal with the zombies, going to the hotel, the fight and the killing of the zombies, the need to kill the brain?
12. Arriving at the hotel, the plan with the helicopter, Marianne Peters, refuelling, ready? The fight to get into the area of the safe, the traps guarding the safe, using a zombie to test the traps? The quiet, the expert, 30 minutes, opening the safe, the money, putting it in bags, to transfer to the helicopter?
13. Katie, a reason for going, to rescue the women? Going off on her own, the pursuit by the leader, finding the women, one dying, trapped, Scott and his final rescue? To helicopter?
14. Martin, the confrontation with the Queen, sawing her head, his motivations, the government and Army of the zombies? The pursuit by the leader, vengeance, his opening the case, Lili having substituted her machine, his death? The revelation to the crowd of zombies of the pregnancy?
15. The other deaths, heroism? Each saving the other? Vanderohe trapped in the safe?
16. The timing, Marianne and her promise, leaving, coming back? The leader on the roof, Lilly distracting him, the lance and her being pierced? Exploding herself and him? His survival, into the helicopter, the final fight, the crash landing?
17. In the desert, Scott, as a zombie, Katie having to kill her father?
18. Her survival? Scott and his having a pocket full of money and giving it to her? Her future?
19. The dropping of the nuclear bomb on Las Vegas and its destruction? The repercussions, the helicopter?
20. Vanderohe emerging, with the money? The car, survival, the plane? In the washroom, the emergence of his infection?
21. Sequel or not? By and large, a complete new cast?