Most who follow the movie business know the story surrounding the 2017 "Justice League," which was completed by Joss Whedon when Snyder had to back out due to a family tragedy. Fans were not pleased by the movie released in theaters (rightfully so, it wasn't good), which spurred a loud and sometimes toxic cry for Snyder to complete "Justice League" as he wanted to. Their calls were heard, and "Zack Snyder's Justice League" was released on HBO Max. The results were better than the 2017 iteration, but not by much, because Snyder's four-hour cut of the movie was a grueling chore to sit through.
"Army of the Dead" continues the director's issue with being unable to find a period to put at the end of a long and rambling sentence. "Army of the Dead" clocks in at two-and-a-half-hours; but there's an infectious and goofy energy here, which evades most of Snyder's superhero outings. "Army of the Dead" runs much longer than it needs to, but unlike any of his superhero movies, it doesn't feel like a grueling slog. This helps make his latest film a bit of a surprise.
Even as things change from movie-to-movie, they still stay the same, because "Army of the Dead" is about assembling yet another team. Instead of trying to find a team of superheroes to track down a series of MacGuffins, "Army of the Dead" follows Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), who is tasked with putting a team together to steal millions of dollars amidst a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas. Each team member brings their own skills to the operation, played by: Matthias Schweighöfer, Raúl Castillo, Omari Hardwick, Ella Purnell, Ana de la Reguera, Nora Arnezeder and Tig Notaro (who replaced comedian Chris D'Elia after sexual misconduct claims were levied against him).
The crew has a fun and snappy rapport, which helps to lift the moments when "Army of the Dead" starts to tread water a bit. It's hard to sustain the high note it starts on, but Snyder seems like he had a lot of pent-up energy from trying to make serious and grim comic book movies, and it all explodes on screen here. Snyder has always been a filmmaker whose visual style was made specifically for those who are on the same wavelength, but his overuse of slow motion could alienate others. Thankfully, all that feels toned down in this outing.
"Army of the Dead" received a one-week theatrical run before hitting Netflix and it will be interesting if those who love Snyder flock to see his latest. Is he a filmmaker fans are willing to follow from project-to-project, or did comic book enthusiasts just want to see the movie they hoped they were getting in 2017? With its neon-drenched color palette and a sense of humor, "Army of the Dead" is a welcome surprise.
"Army of the Dead" - Netflix started 21 May 2021.
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