REVIEW: ARMY OF THE DEAD
MAJOR SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT
The opening scene was similar to the beginning credits of Zombieland. With the slight backstories between our heroes. Particularly Maria Cruz (Ana de la Reguera), and how she survived with her other two team members. (Scott and Van.) One of the most heartbreaking moments in the film is a mother cradling her daughter while they are eaten alive. And yes, just like Dawn of the Dead, there’s a zombie baby! Alpha’s can somehow procreate.
TIG THE BADASS PILOT
In Army of the Dead, Cruz, freakin’ CHAMBERS (Samantha Win) and Marianne Peters (Tig Notaro) were my favorites in this, hands down.
After a bit of drama for the original actor (Chris D’Elia), fellow comedian Tig Notaro replaced him. But that’s not all! It was done entirely with a green screen and CGI! Zack also noted it was pretty expensive but well worth it.
She’s badass as she is hilarious and definitely one of my go-to characters in this film. I liken her to Althea from Fear: The Walking Dead (Maggie Grace) if she were older and had given up on her stories.
Cruz is a Rosie Perez type (even a mechanic), but looks and sounds so much like Penelope Cruz that it is uncanny. Right down to the last name for the character.
LIKENESS TO FAST AND FURIOUS
Essentially, Army of The Dead is labeled as a zombie/heist movie. What it really reminds me of is The Fast and the Furious Franchise. We are introduced to our two leaders personally selecting team members based on skill.
You have the safecracker (I freakin’ love that German kid), the two best friends (Guzman and Chambers), the muscle (Vanderohe), the fish out of the water (Kate, Scott’s estranged daughter.), and the tour guide (Frenchie: Lilly).
HOMAGES TO ZOMBIE FLICKS
Garret Dillahunt portrays the total dick antagonist Martin. He barely has any dialogue other than a few asshole oneliners, and you know–gets mauled by a zombie tiger named Valentine. You heard that right, a zombie tiger.
If anything, he is similar to Spence Parks (James Purefoy in Resident Evil). He is even eaten and mauled after trying to escape an infected nightmare with his prize.
There are a lot of homages to different horror movies. Doomsday has a similar plot. I also see Zombieland, Dawn of the Dead (zombie baby!), and Resident Evil (Guzman and Chambers are definitely J.D. and Rain (Pasquale Aleardi and Michelle Rodriguez respectively.) Ironically, it’s Cruz that dies via elevator.
Guzman and Chambers can be seen flirting, and offering witty one-liners. Also, Dieter mentions shooting a zombie three times (which he is corrected by Van that it was four). J.D. had said something similar, except it was five.
“I shot her five times, how was she still standing?”
SOLE SURVIVOR.
In the end, the only person that survives is Kate Ward (Dusk Till Dawn anyone?) who sadly loses her friend Geeta, and her father in one go. The only intelligent person in this film was Damon, who ditched the project early on, much to Chambers and Guzman’s disappointment.
Unless you count dear ole’ infected Van, who is pretty much dead already, Kate is the last one. Unfortunately, Van rents a private jet with his money and is all set to start a self-infection in Mexico where he has just landed.
WHAT TO EXPECT.
As far as major warnings, there are just a bunch of topless Vegas showgirls (which were edited to have sparkly tops in the trailer.) Then there is a newlywed couple where his wife gives him a little surprise in the car to Vegas. (Ironically, they crash and explode.) as soon as the big climax happens. Pun intended.)
No animal deaths! Except for the already undead Valentine and the undead horse. Now onto the gore. A soldier gets his jaw ripped out, various biting, someone gets their neck snapped and their head completely around snapping a bone that protrudes out of the shoulder.
I SEE, SAID THE BLIND MAN.
And the movie is also very darkly lit at some points, so don’t watch it unless you have a room that doesn’t blind the screen with sunlight. Particularly when the soldiers are getting ripped apart in the very beginning, it’s hard to make out.
INTELLIGENT ZOMBIES? NAH.
The only thing that I didn’t care for so much, was the whole Alpha’s being super fast and super intelligent. I like my zombies mindless. And as well portrayed as the Queen and the King were, I feel like some of it dragged the storyline because of their constant growling and snarling to alert the other in some form of communication. Also, zombies procreate? What?
IS IT SMART TO BE CARRYING GASOLINE ON OUR BACKS?
Shooting in all directions! Can we say an accidental ka-boom? At least it came in handy twice self-sacrifice-wise-but other than that, it’s careless tactically. It would of course, be too much for them to lug the cans and such around with their hands, but it really begs the question–was it that smart?
BEST SOUNDTRACK.
The soundtrack is amazing (as are all of Snyder’s films), the acting was good (particularly Cruz, Lilly, Chambers, and Kate), and I was so happy to see one major idiotic character die. He abused women and was cocky as hell. He deserved it.
Thank you, Lilly! Also, it was hard to tell that she was French unless I heard the French words, the accent petered in and out from that and sort of almost Irish. Which is tough to think, considering the actress is French. All in all, it was a pretty kick-ass flick, and I’m watching it a second time to be extra observant.
Bring on the sequel! And please include more Tig, Chambers and Cruz (prequel?)