Directed By Matthias Schweighofer

Starring – Matthias Schweighofer, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ruby O. Fee

The Plot – A prequel, set before the events of Army of the Dead, which focuses on German safecracker Ludwig Dieter (Schweighofer) leading a group of aspiring thieves on a top secret heist during the early stages of the zombie apocalypse.

Rated TV-MA for scenes of violence and adult language

army of thieves trailer – YouTube

POSITIVES

– One man army. In carrying the ball passed on to him from critically acclaimed director Zack Snyder, Schweighofer conjures up a prequel effort that feels like a creatively reflective successor of his predecessor. This not only allows the film to feel like it persisted with Snyder’s own artistic vision at the forefront of his geographically expanding narrative, but it also affords Matthias insurmountable stakes in a tonal capacity that remains as focused and driven as his lovable leads. In particular, Schweighofer’s action sequences, even with various shaking camera schemes at their disposal, brings with it an immersive intensity that breeds uncertainty in the elements of their corresponding environments, decorating them with a choreography for the lens that pursues the pawns in conflict without ever sacrificing clarity for the shot itself. For a director with only four other miniscule directing credits to his name, his ambitious step forward here is astonishing to say the least, giving us one more nerve-shattering delve into this world created by Snyder that Schweighofer upholds with palpable style for the meticulous craft.

– Entirely necessary. Most prequels, especially those released in the same year as their predecessor, find themselves at a disadvantage with an uninspired narrative that fails to capture that same spark of ingenuity. That isn’t the case with “Army of Thieves”, as instead of this being a zombie epic at the mercy of a heist story, it’s a heist story that feels at the mercy of its corresponding zombie epic. Aside from the obvious continuity of the apocalypse persisting in the distance of various news stories and momentary mentions by characters, the script adds dimensions to the story in the form of Dieter’s characterization, which elevates him to meaning so much more when you rewatch “Army of the Dead”. Aside from this, it points out various quirks and nuances within that original effort that were initially passed over as throwaway mentions, but after this secondary effort feel like the reflective tissue materializing with a greater sense of purpose, which in turn enhance the tragic aspect that most zombie epics don’t attain with their temporary characters.

– Meaningful cinematography. Following the iconography of Snyder in the aesthetics chair is certainly no easy feat, but the European flare and cerebral movements of the lens by Bernhard Jasper do more than render an invigorating presentation that plays as ingredients to the corresponding scene they accommodate. Such an example persists in the heist sequences themselves, which pan in and out of the various gears inside of the safe being steered from the outside, all the while showcasing the science that stems from the craft, as a result of some of the most detailed sound designs that convey a magnitude of impulses inside of their soft, sporadic movements. Aside from this, Jasper uses speed cuts during various sequences as a way to transpire the time passed while playing into the urgency of the situation. This not only helps to keep audiences firmly engaged in the unraveling of the conflict at the forefront, but also speaks volumes about time being the primary antagonist to our group of conniving criminals, serving as the one element they constantly can’t ever account for in various planning.

– The other Hans. While this movie pertains to the legend of safe maker Hans Wagner, it’s the work of Zimmer that is most valuable to the integrity of the project. In remarkably what is Zimmer’s fifth film of compositions in 2021, a personal yearly record for Hans, he deposits some of his more geographically enveloping work in a career full of diversely expansive efforts. Instead of the familiarity of ominousness that Zimmer instills in the dramatic underlining of his plot, here his work reflects that of his quirky lead protagonist, transferring energy and excitement in the perils of some truly dangerous sequences with everything from trumphets and saxophones, to even the harmonica when he sees fit. It’s the biggest slice of reality tonally in making this feel so creatively different from its horror gore predecessor, channeling a lighthearted zaniness that infects and influences audiences without sacrificing urgency in the depths of stakes that constantly hang overhead at all times.

– Perfect casting. I found each of the characters of the group to offer something compelling in both the range of their performances, and the vibrancy of their personalities, which gave them a constantly endearing presence throughout two hours of the movie’s run time. Most obviously important is the work of Schweighofer as Dieter, balancing a man with such dangerous and illegal capabilities with a childlike innocence that is truly irresistible. When this man screams in terror, I can’t help but laugh, regardless of how many times the screenplay calls for it, creating a new breed of action hero that doesn’t require bravery or especially brawn to harvest appeal in the eyes of the audience. Also beneficial to the film was the work of Nathalie Emmanuel, whose beauty, physicality, and confidence is the perfect contrast to Schweighofer’s Dieter, creating emphasis for the opposites attract argument that grows the stronger the longer the movie persists. Not only is Nathalie believable in the impressive feats she’s pulling off, but she also supplants what is undeniably the brains of the operation, continuing the tradition of badass female heroines by Snyder that Schweighofer completely values as a director.

– Comedic improvement. Surprisingly, the humor for me was more improved and tonally appropriate when compared to its usage in “Army of the Dead”. I say this because not only is it naturally nuanced in a way that caters spontaneity to the dynamic of the various interactions, but the style of humor itself is also entirely more relevant of its supporting-turned-lead protagonist in this film, to match his zany, occasionally erratic personality. Because of such, the consistency of the material worked effectively for me in a way that materialized plenty of laughter throughout, offering something substantially gripping about the integrity of the dialogue, while prescribing an aspect of creativity that I feel is one of the more obvious improvements from Snyder’s original, which often uses comedy as a way to hinder the uncertainty of various situations.

NEGATIVES

– Too conventional. Even with several instances where the script deconstructs heist movies while offering a mocking social commentary to their very evidential formula, “Army of Thieves” is another in the laundry list for the subgenre that never does anything to even remotely reinvent the wheel. There’s the global spanning transition sequences full of big bold lettering to enhance the stakes of the location, the supernatural capabilities of every crew member depositing an air of importance to the operation, perfect planning that often accounts for unpredictable elements, and of course the double-crosses, which are as obvious to spot early on as an inevitable death during “Army of the Dead”. If you’re someone who appreciates the ingredients of the heist genre, and everything mentioned above, you will certainly get more from it than I did, but if you’re like me, and demanded something more for an ages old formula, you will find that “Army of Thieves” is just the same old blueprint for a safe that has been cracked a hundred times.

– Underwhelming authority. One undervalued importance to any film’s urgency and uncertainty, is the lawful influence of authorities that are constantly pursuing our antagonists-turned-protagonists at all times. Because this Interpol agent is presented as almost the comic relief of the movie, complete with over-the-top mannuerisms and an inferior intelligence to his prey, the stakes often never materialize into anything that even made me question whether or not the group’s well being was ever in legitimate peril. You look at a film like “Heat”, where Al Pacino is constantly on the tail of these dangerously lethal robbers, and you’re conjured a side of the matter that you’re not only able to invest in, for the well-being of those innocent parties being deceived by robbers, but also illustrated a character who is every bit capable of holding his own against the odds that are so dearly against him. With more seriousness and backstory deposited to this character, I feel it would’ve set up a sizzling inevitable confrontation that the audience continuously could yearn for throughout, but with what we’re given, it’s the single most uninteresting aspect of this screenplay.

– Flawed editing. When you look for visual coherence while following certain characters throughout, you start to notice a problem with the presentation that creates noticeable leaps of logic in the believability of this story. That’s not to say that heist movies are known for the wealth of believability, just that the rules inside of this world aren’t even followed to a tee, with character movements and transportations feeling almost paranormal in the way they magically pop in and out of frame at any given moment. Such an example pertains to the lead Interpol agent, whom during the climactic third act appears somewhere miles down the Italian coast during one scene, and then pops up dramatically somewhere 10-20 miles down the road, with no ample passage of time to convey the possibility. Because of this, it surprisingly feels like scenes are missing from an already bloated final run time (122 minutes), creating pockets of problematic storytelling that feel all the more apparent if you’re firmly invested in the geographic placement of each of the characters.

My Grade: 7/10 or B