Army of the Dead
Netflix | Release Date: May 14, 2021 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
57
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 43 Critic Reviews
Positive:
18
Mixed:
23
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
The PlaylistRodrigo PerezMay 11, 2021
Snyder’s best movie since his debut, the zombie film “Dawn Of The Dead” (2014), Army Of The Dead is tremendously compelling and deftly navigates a lot of different tones, even if it quickly leaves more interesting ones behind. Largely captivating and thrilling, for all is gore, darkly twisted comedy, and delicious tension— surely something satisfied audiences will walk away with—there’s also a minor but palatable sense of loss and melancholy. One that echoes the hardships of the pandemic age and ruthless American capitalism and gives the film some socio-political edge. Read full review
80
The TelegraphRobbie CollinMay 12, 2021
Army of the Dead is a kindred spirit of, rather than sequel to, Snyder’s earlier film – but it still cleaves faithfully to the Romero template, with its gaggle of abrasive, slippery lead characters that don’t obviously qualify as heroes, and its generous dousings of vinegary cynicism and apocalyptic dread. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyMay 11, 2021
There’s no shortage of excitement, suspense, jokey camaraderie, sorrowful losses, satisfying comeuppances, twists and turns to fill the generous running time, with plenty of variation in the bloody encounters. Read full review
75
Vanity FairRichard LawsonMay 21, 2021
The Snyder of 2004 is utterly revived in Army of the Dead, a shrewdly mounted action film (as opposed to a horror one) that may be saying something about imperialism, or may just be a bloody, satisfying entertainment devoid of allegory. Read full review
75
New Orleans Times-PicayuneMike ScottMay 18, 2021
Aside from the “you-got-your-zombie-thriller-in-my-heist-movie” element, there’s nothing here that’s strikingly original, but Army of the Dead is still fun in its overblown, unapologetically violent way. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleBob StraussMay 17, 2021
Snyder served as his own director of photography for the first time and, aided by terrific effects makeup and digital production design, he’s created a sprawling graveyard Vegas of detailed, decaying awesomeness. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperMay 11, 2021
This is an unapologetically over-the-top, blood-soaked, orgy of stylized violence filled with familiar action-movie characters going through familiar action-movie paces, with a whole lot of CGI, a bounty of epic set-pieces and a borderline exhausting number of kills. Read full review
75
ConsequenceClint WorthingtonMay 11, 2021
Snyder’s momentum starts to lose steam around the 90-minute mark, and there are too many kooky concepts left frustratingly unexplored. But as a showcase for Snyder’s deft command of action and ink-black sense of humor, Army of the Dead is an exciting piece of brain-chewing fun. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubA.A. Dowd May 11, 2021
In a way, this B-movie on an A budget gets closer to the values of George Romero, the godfather of zombie cinema, than Snyder’s actual, hyper-adrenalized remake of Romero’s masterpiece. Read full review
75
IndieWireEric KohnMay 11, 2021
It’s a blockbuster that funnels the appeal of big-budget action and horror with an almost sacred reverence for the material. That’s absurd, but Snyder’s a true believer in go-for-broke escapism and at its best, the mayhem in Army of the Dead is an infectious zombie bite of its own. Read full review
70
We Got This CoveredScott CampbellMay 21, 2021
As a whole, Army of the Dead is big, loud, incredibly stupid and probably 20 minutes too long, but it’s a deliriously bonkers delight once it finally finds its footing. Read full review
69
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Barry HertzMay 17, 2021
Army of the Dead is exactly the kind of uber-stylish, ridiculously muscular, exceptionally juvenile storytelling that he’s made his bones on. Some audiences will make a meal of it. Some will gag. You’ll know which viewer you are after those first 15 minutes, guaranteed. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyDarren FranichMay 20, 2021
Army of the Dead grills its cheese to a crisp, but Bautista adds some healthy flavor. His headshots never miss your heart. Read full review
65
PolygonRobert DanielsMay 21, 2021
The parts of Snyder’s Army of the Dead are definitely stronger than the whole. But if you’re looking for a preposterous onslaught of blood and guts melded with sharp-tongued humor, then Army of the Dead is the big swinging zombie film of your fantasies. Read full review
65
TheWrapAlonso DuraldeMay 11, 2021
There’s enough gore, mayhem, and decay in Army of the Dead to make for a satisfying zombie-movie experience, and while it’s the best film Snyder has made since his last “of the Dead,” it’s also one that continually hints at the more satisfying work it might have been. Read full review
63
ReelViewsJames BerardinelliMay 19, 2021
For zombie movie-fans, Army of the Dead provides a good blend of the fast and the familiar, all blended together into a concoction that hits the sweet spot. Snyder takes some chances, doesn’t skimp on the gore, and offers a shock or two. Perhaps that’s the best a zombie movie can hope to accomplish in 2021. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeTy BurrMay 19, 2021
Some films wear their length like an epic and some just wear you out; Army of the Dead tends increasingly toward the latter. Read full review
63
RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoMay 11, 2021
So what does work about Army of the Dead? It’s fun and unpretentious, driven more by its action set pieces than anything else. It’s clearly as inspired by modern “fast zombie” films like “World War Z” or “28 Days Later” as it is the works of the master, and there are moments when its grand insanity just clicks thanks to the set-piece ambition of its filmmaker and the willingness of its cast to go anywhere he leads them. Read full review
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