No one can deny that Netflix’s Army of the Dead is Zack Snyder in his purest form. Sure, he carved out the early days of the DCEU in his own image, but he was often fighting a battle of some kind against studio execs and wasn’t exactly let off the leash to make the movies he wanted to.
Being handed complete creative freedom by the streaming service, though, has allowed Snyder to deliver a film that’s a total blast throughout, with leading man Dave Bautista showing that he can carry a blockbuster with ease after years spent in supporting roles or as part of ensembles. True, Army of the Dead focuses on a group of mercenaries and thieves, but Bautista is very much the lead and he’s been finding a lot of praise from folks online, as you can see below.
Looking at Dave Bautista’s amazing performance in Army of the Dead, I’m getting second hand embarrassment thinking about how all the MCU has this man doing is talking about having sensitive nipples and standing so still he turns invisible…
— merc shitpostin (DONT TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY) (@theSNYDERVERSE) May 21, 2021
In terms of acting, Dave Bautista is probably the best wrestler turned actor (imo). Kills it every role I’ve ever seen him in.
— Matt Post (@MattPostSaysHi) May 22, 2021
Really looking forward to seeing Dave Bautista in more things, he's been really good in a lot of movies but he was particularly great in Army of the Dead. pic.twitter.com/Nh3qb8D0Sf
— Michael (@JokerCritic) May 21, 2021
https://twitter.com/CalumWalton/status/1395782638544244738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1395782638544244738%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmovieweb.com%2Farmy-of-the-dead-dave-bautista-fans-twitter-praise%2F
Loved #ArmyOfTheDead Totally enjoyed it!! And I have to say….what an amazing performance by @DaveBautista 🙏 and the others did fantastic as well. @ZackSnyder is living in his prime A+. Highly Recommended 🔥
— Geralt of North (@Itssan17) May 22, 2021
my current performance of the year is Dave Bautista in Army of the Dead. the way he's able to convey utter devastation and mourning is unspeakably heartbreaking. he's such a soft and vulnerable performer. has one of the bleakest reaction shots I can remember seeing in a movie
— Logan🏳️🌈 (@LoganKenny1) May 22, 2021
Sobbing watching #ArmyOfTheDeadNetflix – @DaveBautista is just so good. I’m only 8 minutes in – my goodness!!!
— Vera Sweeney (@VeraSweeney) May 21, 2021
An original piece, uncompromising & completely unapologetic @ZackSnyder. This was so much fun to watch & compelling with so much unexpected heartfelt moments. @DaveBautista easily gives his strongest performance so far.
Definitely worth a watch.#ArmyOfTheDead pic.twitter.com/BsuprjMc2o— Dane (@AlrightOldSport) May 21, 2021
Really enjoyed #ArmyOfTheDead. Generally don’t love zombie stuff because of how crushingly depressing & hopeless it is but @DaveBautista adds tons of heart. After this, GOTG, BR2049… it’s clear he has a LOT more talent than he’s had chances to show. Give the man more lead roles!
— Aram Jabbari (@aramjabbari) May 22, 2021
Best #zombie flick I’ve seen in a long, long time! I highly recommend you check out @ZackSnyder’s #ArmyOfTheDead starring @DaveBautista! Very violent and action packed…just the way I like it! 🧟♂️@NetflixLifee @netflix #ZackSnyder pic.twitter.com/aZt35h4iSK
— Will Janssen (@RealWillJanssen) May 21, 2021
@DaveBautista is an absolute ride in #ArmyOfTheDead that's why it's rated 18s. pic.twitter.com/oLJDu2wG9G
— Rachel (@Skish31) May 21, 2021
Just watched #ArmyOfTheDead
Absolutely 100% thoroughly enjoyed it. @DaveBautista and the rest of the cast were all fantastic. pic.twitter.com/fGUKWza3cQ
— Serev (@Serevarno) May 22, 2021
While it’s not as if the former wrestler is going to win any awards for his work here, he does indeed do a great job as the heart of the film and the most well developed character. Army of the Dead gives him a solid chance to show off his acting chops and reveal some sides to him that we typically don’t get to see in his other projects.
That being said, the entire cast is terrific, from top to bottom, and though the acting isn’t exactly one of the film’s selling points, it certainly helps that Snyder assembled such a strong group of performers to bring his vision to life. But tell us, did you enjoy Dave Bautista’s work in Army of the Dead? Let us know in the usual place down below.
