Netflix: Army Of The Dead Is A Fun, Entertaining Film
What did I think of Army Of The Dead? It’s a contender for film of the year. Yup, the Zach Snyder picture was that good. It won’t win an Oscar. We all know that. However, in terms of pure fun and entertainment AOTD doesn’t miss.
The draw to this film for me was Dave Bautista. I loved him as Drax and he really proved his acting in Stuber and My Spy. While Bautista is nothing special in this, he’s good enough to carry this film. I’d like to have seen him be given a better role in terms of what he was given (more on that later).
As far as the film goes, I had no real issues with it. There are some issues with some of the minor details. While none of these are too extreme, they are worth pointing out as they could have given a bit more depth to the film. The script was well directed by Snyder, a few questions remain.
We are told there is a superior race of zombies. We see these zombies in the film, one acting as the main antagonist. The issue I have, what made them superior? Why were they the way they were? A bit more backstory needed to be given in terms of the alpha. The opening scene gives us some insight into how the plague started, however, that’s all we get.
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The characters are a bit hit or miss. Bautista’s main story arc with his daughter was thrown together. The outcome of this becomes very predictable once you know the backstory. The supporting cast isn’t anything to write home about either. The relationship between Bautista’s character (Scott) and Ana De La Reguera (Maria) takes a really odd turn late into the 2nd act. The dynamic between the rest of the cast also just doesn’t work. It felt every relationship was forced, with no real depth to anything.
It seems like I’m bashing this movie a lot. And while I listed some of the issues, these aren’t anything that should take away from the film’s enjoyment. The opening title sequence is really fascinating. It gives us the backstory of the Vegas zombie invasion, our main cast, and also has some emotional appeal as well.
While you might see AOTD and be put off by its runtime (2.5 hours), this really doesn’t feel that long. Could it have ended earlier? Yes. At no point was I bored by this picture. I almost didn’t want it to end. If any criticism is to be given, it’s that the end came at the wrong spot. They needed to introduce the opportunity for a sequel. It made sense to do so. I did not feel that was the best end for the film. The film’s current ending should have been a credit scene.
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One takeaway from AOTD, the film was shot beautifully. Some of the camera work and just the overall look of the shots were great. Even as a desolate wasteland, Vegas still looked like Vegas. That’s a Zach Snyder specialty.
In the end, this is one of his best films. You won’t be bored by this film at all. Despite some issues, the film itself overcomes that by just being highly entertaining.
Image Source: Netflix
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
