Zack Snyder set a high bar for himself in the realm of undead cinema with 2004’s Dawn of the Dead. The high-energy remake of George A. Romero’s classic made zombies scary again without sacrificing heart, and all these years later it left fans rejoicing with the news that the filmmaker would finally return to the world of zombies. Even the premise, a heist feature set in an overrun Las Vegas, sounds like a safe bet for gory zombie excess. While Snyder does indeed inject action spectacle and bursts of fun into Army of the Dead, this elongated and long-awaited return fails to set itself apart from the other horror movies it heavily emulates.
Snyder hits the ground running with a thrilling opening scene that sees a bioweapon released just outside of Las Vegas. Cue the hot pink credits as debauchery collides with carnage throughout the casinos. Through slow motion, survivors band together to evacuate just in time for the government to close off the city. Vegas was left to the dead for a period until the government schedules a nuke drop to destroy their zombie problem for good, just in time for the Fourth of July fireworks. Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada) hires Vegas survivor Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) to assemble a team to infiltrate the city and retrieve the loot from his casino vault before it’s gone for good. It’s a zombie movie, though, and everything can and does go wrong.
After that stellar opening, Army of the Dead slows down and spends an inordinate amount of time setting up the heist and establishing the team. Ward enlists right-hand man Vanderohe (Omari Hardwick), helicopter pilot Marianne (Tig Notaro), and former close pal Maria (Ana de la Reguera). They’re assigned Bly’s henchman Martin (Garret Dillahunt), and the rest they hire based on skillset. Scott’s estranged daughter Kate (Ella Purnell) forces her way into the group for a personal mission. Their guide into the quarantine zone is coyote Lilly (Nora Arnezeder), who has first-hand experience with the strange new hierarchy this undead city established. At an almost two-and-a-half-hour runtime, it takes nearly an hour before the team even ventures into Vegas. With superficial characterization, the setup stretch can feel like a chore.
Once inside the walls, Snyder and co-writers Shay Hatten and Joby Harold borrow from Land of the Dead, Ghosts of Mars, and Aliens to spin their heist tale. Mostly, though, the story is merely connective tissue between action set pieces. Snyder more than delivers on the zombie gore, made all the better when practical effects are utilized. This movie is, however, a CG-heavy affair. Scene-stealer Notaro quips her way through her last-minute replacement role, which meant she had to be digitally inserted into the film. Notaro seamlessly blends in during some scenes but far less successfully in others.
Bautista imbues Scott with enough charm to bring rooting interest, but none of the other human characters fare as strongly. Most of the emotional beats come just moments before a major character death. On the one hand, it’s refreshing that no one is safe. On the other hand, it’s tough to care who lives or dies. Strangely, it’s the zombies that earn the most sympathy. Alpha king Zeus (Ghosts of Mars’ Richard Cetrone) and his Queen (Athena Perample) have created a kingdom with structure. Not only are they the most interesting pair of the film, for reasons, but their animalistic nature makes them captivating to watch. Throw in a zombie tiger and horse, and it’s a shame more time isn’t spent in this world rather than on set-up.
Army of the Dead’s visual style is as uneven as the pacing. The stretches between action set pieces can sag tremendously. Despite a ticking clock setup, that time crunch never seems to present an issue for the group, save for one or two dialogue mentions. It’s overlong and understuffed. The action set pieces bring the fun, though, and it’s in those moments that it’s clear Snyder’s having a blast. Team member Chambers (Samantha Win) channels Aliens’ Vasquez in an exciting way and the final act springs to life in a way that finally reminds you this was a heist movie. Army of the Dead doesn’t reach the heights of Dawn of the Dead, nor does it do anything new with its borrowed concepts and tropes. Still, nuggets of gold are found throughout, especially when the movie doesn’t take itself too seriously. Much like Vegas itself, enjoyment might be a bit of a gamble.
Army of the Dead releases in limited theaters on May 14 and arrives May 21 on Netflix.
