Army of the Alternatives
Army of the Dead is the latest Zack Snyder zombie flick, combining elements of a heist movie with an outright zombie action thriller. The result is a colourful, fast-paced picture. If you’ve finished streaming this one and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks. Of course for all the movies we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with. So without further ado, we present 10 movies to check out when you’ve finished watching Army of the Dead.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
One of the biggest complaints with old zombies movies comes from its slow, shuffling creatures. This is, of course, something that was rectified somewhat with 28 Days Later. Well, this 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead takes cues from that movie, revamping this class for a new generation. Dawn of the Dead follows a ragtag group of survivors who band together and try to survive inside a mall. Together, they fight for their lives amidst a worldwide plague being unleashed. This unfortunately produces aggressive, flesh-eating zombies who can only be killed by a well-aimed shot to the head. The only trouble is, the zombies here are lightning quick so headshots are not easy to pull off. This dread-inducing movie takes the same basic plot from the original Dawn of the Dead but shifts that slightly to produce something that’s both overly familiar and wholly original. This one’s definitely worth checking out.
Ocean’s Eleven
Although you could easily pick the original Ocean’s 11 from the 60’s, the updated 2002 version is every bit as enjoyable and arguably more stylish. For those unaware, Ocean’s Eleven is a classic heist movie, fronted by a man named Danny Ocean. He wants to score the biggest heist in history, combining an eleven member team which includes prolific names like Frank Catton, Rusty Ryan and Linus Caldwell. Their targets happen to be three different Las Vegas casinos which they intend to rob at exactly the same time. With a cool $150 million on the line, this thrilling ensemble delivers an enthralling watch that’s well worth checking out.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Okay bear with us here. Yes Rogue One is a sci-fi prequel to A New Hope but it’s also a pretty compelling heist movie too. No spoilers of course but the ending lends itself nicely to the same sort of conclusion as Army of the Dead. The story centers on the daughter of an Imperial scientist named Jyn Erso, who joins the Rebel Alliance and embarks on what’s essentially a suicide mission. She, along with an ensemble of other colourful characters, are tasked with stealing plans for the Death Star. But it’s not going to be easy. After the CGI-heavy prequels, Rogue One leans into the practical effects that made the original trilogy so enthralling. There’s some great nods to that trilogy here too, including a return of the AT-ATs and one special cameo at the end too!
World War Z
World War Z has absolutely nothing in common with its book counterpart. Aside from the obvious name and the zombies, World War Z instead tells a very different story. Still, it’s undeniably a fun action-horror romp and has a lot of fast zombies too. The story revolves around United Nations investigator Gerry Lane and his family. While driving in New York, the world is suddenly plagued by a mysterious infection that turns everyone into mindless zombies. After barely escaping the chaos, Lane is persuaded to head off on a mission to investigate the disease. What follows is a perilous trek across the globe as Lane is forced to try and save humanity before it’s too late. While the movie is more action-orientated rather than centering on the horror, there’s enough here to enjoy.
28 Weeks Later
28 Weeks later features one of the best movie openings of all time. It’s a suffocating and tense 15 minute set piece, one that the rest of the movie can’t quite match up to. Set six months after the initial outbreak that decimated England, 28 Weeks Later sees the US Army fly in and try to salvage the situation, occupying a small area in London to try to repopulate and take back control of the city. With the infected all but eradicated thanks to starvation, our characters are thrust into a false sense of security. Things inevitably go awry and what transpires from here is a heart-stopping journey through the desolate streets of London as Don and his two children (Andy and Tammy) fight for their lives. 28 Weeks Later is a much more action-driven film than the first. Despite that, it still features some pretty suspenseful moments and an open ending for a possible follow-up.
Train To Busan
Between slick camera work, a relentless pace and overwhelming tension, Train To Busan is one of the best zombie films ever made. The claustrophobic setting of the train cars lends itself to a unique setting as the apocalypse grips Korea. At the heart of this chaos lies Seok-Woo, a man obsessed with his work and with little time for his daughter Soo-an. Promising the girl he’ll get her to Busan to see her Mother, the two set out at the very beginning of the apocalypse as Korea begins to crumble around them. At first glance it seems like the train might be a safe haven but can they really be sure no one on the train is already infected? Train To Busan is a very good thriller, doubling up as a suspenseful horror too. Not only is the pace relentless, the movie is gripping and well-shot throughout. This one’s a must-watch.
Inception
Out of all the Nolan films out there, Inception is the one that plays on the ideas of dreams and time being intermittently linked. However, it also fronts as pretty unique heist movie, mashing up two different genres together – just like Army of the Dead. The story is simple(ish) and revolves around a man named Cobb, launching a dream-heist to plant an idea inside a CEO’s mind. It sounds complicated but Inception does well to lay out its ideas as simply as possible, especially with a first half littered with exposition. Inception’s set pieces are awe inspiring and jaw dropping, making for quite the spectacle alongside this time-bending picture.
The Girl with All The Gifts
The Girl With All The Gifts takes place in a dystopian near future and skips out the usual viral outbreak for a fungal disease instead. With the afflicted robbed of all free will and turned into flesh-eating “Hungries”, humanity’s only hopes lies with a small group of hybrid children. Set in rural Britain, the story begins at a special school where these hybrids are subjected to cruel experiments by Dr. Caroline Caldwell. However, one girl called Melanie (Test Subject Number 1) escapes and sets out to help guide mankind’s future survival. With an equal amount of action and drama, The Gift with All The Gifts is another well written horror that’s certainly worth checking out.
Baby Driver
If you’re looking for a stylish, action-packed heist thriller with a banging soundtrack, Baby Driver is your ticket. Our protagonist here is a young and partially hearing impaired getaway driver called Baby. He’s indentured to crime boss Doc, who values his role in meticulously planned robberies. With Baby’s life of crime nearing an end, new girlfriend Debora encourages him to join in for one more job. But is this one job too many? As things go from bad to worse, Baby finds himself caught in the toughest job of his career. With an absolutely pulsating soundtrack and some incredibly slick driving skills, Baby Driver is a must-watch stylish heist movie.
Resident Evil
Compared to the games, Resident Evil is not a great zombie flick. It’s a movie that’s big, dumb and outrageously ill-paced. However, it’s still one of the bigger guilty pleasures in the genre. The first film in this bloated franchise is arguably the best and it actually has a pretty good soundtrack too. It also does well to kick some zombie butt. Or – in the case of the film’s second act – a zombie dog’s face. The story centers on Alice, who’s joined by a special military unit who find themselves fighting a powerful, out-of-control supercomputer after a laboratory accident. This is the “Red Queen” and Alice and co. find themselves trapped deep underground and forced to try and survive to break free. In terms of action, the movie is packed with set pieces and although it is a little dated now, the movie remains a guilty pleasure. So there we have it, our 10 Movie picks to keep you busy after watching Army of the Dead on Netflix. What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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