Earlier this year, Zack Snyder finally got his long-awaited cut of Justice League out into the world, and putting aside personal views on both certain portions of his fanbase and the wider DCEU, it was a triumph for a creative vision stifled by studio interference and personal tragedy. ZSJL's journey from mythical meme to definitive version of Snyder's original vision is proof that every so often, the sheer power of fandom can do good, and it set Snyder up as the man of the hour, at the crest of the pop culture wave, with all eyes on what he'd do next. Army of the Dead had been on its way for a while but coming two months after the Snyder cut dropped gave it new context. It was always going to come out, but with Snyder firmly in the zeitgeist, it feels like best possible time for a Snyder-helmed zombie epic, done his way, especially given how this is a project that was similarly haunted by a long, difficult transition from script to screen
But enough context, what's actually happening in Army of the Dead? When a zombie outbreak leaves Las Vegas as a desolate, chaotic quarantine zone teeming with undead, a retired mercenary is sent in with a ragtag team to recover $200 million from a casino vault. It's a simple premise, but the joy of Army of the Dead comes from how far Snyder leans into it, fully embracing the gonzo, genre trappings a zombie heist and delivering huge, utterly bonkers setpieces from beginning to end
And as horror/action hybrids go, this is defintely an effective one. Snyder is firmly in the cockpit here, and his passion is infectious. There's a huge amount of sincerity to this film, and Snyder (along with co-writers Shay Hatten and Joby Harold) is careful to steer clear of any irony or self-referential winking. There's an obvious amount of love for genre cinema here and the amount of faith that's placed into such a ridiculous idea is exactly what makes it work. Synder takes the premise completely seriously while remembering to have fun with it, and that goes a long way in keeping the viewer engaged, ensuring that they can invest in the plot while also reveling in the sheer chaos of it all. It's a tricky tightrope to walk, but the film makes it look relatively smooth
Not that it's entirely seamless. The film is bursting with energy and never runs out of ideas but the 148 minute runtime really starts to make itself known after the first hour. AOTD is a blast, but a messy one, and as Snyder guides the viewer through Escape From New York if New York was Las Vegas and Also Filled With Zombies, the film really starts to feel bloated and sluggish. It's a shame too, because all of these ideas are good, and every character is effective and well utilised, but even with the extended runtime, there's a lot here that needed more time to breath. It's undeniably indulgent, and while that's a crucial part of its charm, it comes at the expense of the film's narrative flexibility. The conclusion is reaches is satisfying but it would have benefitted from being to the closer to a film that was slightly tighter, and a little leaner
But again, it's hard to criticise a film that wears its director's unabashed love for the weird and the wicked on its sleeve. Snyder throws everything at the wall, most of it sticks, and then an army of undead strippers mow the wall down and unleash the zombie tiger. The purity of Snyder's vision feels refreshing in a world of hollow blockbusters that thrive on brand-recognition, and his sincerity can been seen in every corner of the frame. Most poignantly, it shows itself in the central father-daughter relationship, which gives the film a strong emotional backbone and a palpable sense of heart, wonderfully brought to the screen by Dave Bautista and Ella Purnell. Bautista stands out among a fairly strong cast as a capable leading man who can shine in both huge moments of action and intimate character beats. He rejects the unbearable machismo of similar action heroes, playing Scott Ward as a man genuinely trying to make amends, and the decision to define him by quiet likability instead of brash bravado was a wise one that gives AOTD a leg up over some of its actioner contemporaries
Ultimately, it's an overstuffed, hugely indulgent, batshit crazy mess, made with so much passion, brio and genuine love that to call it either entirely good or bad would come with an impossible amount of caveats. Instead, we should celebrate the fact that filmmakers like Zack Snyder are making huge blockbusters with this level of flavour and weirdness at all. Not all of it works, but it's undoubtedly more interesting than your bog-standard made by committee, uber-forgettable blockbuster fluff. From its beautifully ridiculous opening credits sequence to the surprising emotional heft of the ending, Army of the Dead is unbalanced but incredibly watchable, and if it can make good on the proposed sequel and confirmed prequels, then maybe Snyder can keep up the hot streak he blazed into 2021 on and shower us with more exciting creations that only he could have made
★ ★ ★
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