There’s a lot of hype starting to build around Army of the Dead, which is no surprise as it’s the first non-DCEU movie from Zack Snyder in a decade, one that sees him return to the zombie genre for the first time since his feature directorial debut seventeen years ago when he remade George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead.
Netflix are giving the apocalyptic heist flick the biggest theatrical rollout for any of their original titles, with Army of the Dead premiering on over 600 screens nationwide this coming Friday, a week before it arrives on streaming. And the combination of Snyder, the built-in fanbase he brings with him and a high concept action blockbuster following an elite team of thieves and mercenaries plotting a casino heist in the middle of an undead uprising certainly sounds like a recipe for success.
The social media embargo surrounding Army of the Dead has now lifted, and those lucky enough to have seen it already have been sharing their thoughts on the film, which you can check out below.
Army of The Dead is a violent, gory, and bloody blast. Zack Snyder’s latest is a ridiculously fun and over the top genre bending zombie film. While the entire cast is great, Matthias Schweighöfer steals every scene. Oh, and the opening credits are absolutely epic. #ArmyoftheDead pic.twitter.com/6Seg3l1AFG
— Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) May 10, 2021
#ArmyOfTheDead is bloody fun! Has great zombie action, character banter & killer music. Also, quite funny. Loved the world created by @ZackSnyder & that every character has a moment to shine. His style matches perfectly with the zombie genre. Opening credits are 🔥#ZombieVerse pic.twitter.com/vhbaKjX8KV
— Fico Cangiano (@FicoCangiano) May 10, 2021
I saw #ArmyoftheDead and I’m all-in on this world.
Pretty sure Zack Snyder just beat WB to the punch and made his own Suicide Squad movie, but with zombies. How about that. pic.twitter.com/xUb0lnylTs
— Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) May 10, 2021
#ArmyOfTheDead’s opening credits sequence is delicious, pure camp. While the rest of the film doesn’t sustain that tone (& meanders), there are lots of wild, deftly executed concepts & scenes centered on the heist. Even more audacious is there’s an unexpected infusion of heart. pic.twitter.com/TPGFC2nG2I
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) May 10, 2021
I found myself wanting more from #ArmyOfTheDead overall. It's well cast and often funny. But despite blending the heist/zombie genres, there's not much newness added to either. One or two fresh setpieces amid familiar blood n gore, but outside of that, you've seen it more or less pic.twitter.com/u4Bd0Ra5Ap
— Brandon Katz (@Great_Katzby) May 10, 2021
@ZackSnyder "Army of the Dead" was a helluva ride!
Scary, action-packed & fun!
A wildly entertaining firepower zombie flick that features some of the best death scenes ever!
Viva Las Vegas, baby!#ZackSnyder #ArmyOfTheDead #ArmyOfTheDeadNetflix #Netflix @netflix @NetflixFilm pic.twitter.com/E2WS5ti2vJ
— Rama's Screen (@RamasScreen) May 10, 2021
https://twitter.com/PhilNobileJr/status/1391754922455183361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1391754922455183361%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fscreenrant.com%2Farmy-dead-movie-reactions-reviews-preview%2F
#ArmyOfTheDead is Snyder’s best since Watchmen. His efforts to keep visuals interesting (he’s his own DP for this one) plays well with the “big dumb fun” energy that holds throughout, with the added bonus of a few characters playing better than they are written due to the cast.
— Aaron Neuwirth (@AaronsPS4) May 10, 2021
#ArmyoftheDead is a fucking blast. Like most Snyder films, it's about 20 minutes too long, but that doesn't matter when you're having so much fun.
World-building is intriguing, evolution of the zombie genre is fitting. Watch this movie with as many people as possible.
8/10 pic.twitter.com/IgzN4mHp9T
— Eric Italiano (@eric_ital) May 10, 2021
#ArmyOfTheDead was VERY much my kind of thing. As hoped, the setting + Zack Snyder's eye = a downright stunning display of zombie mayhem and carnage. Fell mighty hard for the whole ensemble, but I might need a 2.5 hour movie about just these two … pic.twitter.com/j6daBtuCOL
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) May 10, 2021
All in all, it looks like Army of the Dead is going to be a rollicking good time, even if it appears to fall into the familiar Snyder trap of running just a little bit too long. On the plus side, the reactions indicate that it’s got a lot more warmth and humor than we’ve become accustomed to seeing from the filmmaker over the last ten years, which is good news when the story is dealing with such a ridiculous concept. The early signs are hugely encouraging, then, and Netflix is virtually guaranteed to have another massive hit on their hands.
