Actor-director Matthias Schweighöfer stole the show in this prequel to Zack Snyder’s zombie flick.
"Army of Thieves" opens with the awkward Sebastian Schlencht-Wöhnert (Matthias Schweighöfer), a Potsdam bank cashier. Despite reports of a growing zombie epidemic in Nevada, Sebastian spends his time creating safecracking videos for YouTube. His passion and love for the craft captured the eye of an anonymous user who invited him to compete in an underground safecracking competition.
Sebastian has been developing his skills since he was a child. He even forgoes playing with other youngsters in order to study safes, turn knobs, and crack open various locks.
Sebastian easily won the tournament, as expected. And what is his price? He really doesn’t care. All he wants is attention, especially from Gwedoline (Nathalie Emmanuel), a brilliant jewel thief with a grander purpose for him.
Following the underwhelming "Army of the Dead," "Army of Thieves” is an unexpected hit because of Matthias Schweighöfer's show-stealing performance and direction. Additionally, there are many positives to be said about the film's use of mythology and ingenious story building.
"Army of Thieves" stays true to its action-comedy core, a welcome change from the solemn tone of its predecessor. To be honest, the change in tone makes this film more enjoyable to watch given that it is a prequel to a gruesome zombie thriller.
Not only that, but this lighthearted heist story features bold and striking images ranging from various wonderful architecture to a close up on the spindles and tumblers of the featured vaults. Who would have guessed that an exploration inside safes and locking mechanisms and such could be so captivating to watch?
Matthias did an excellent job of building and directing characters who work cohesively well together. This film is superior to its predecessor due to its smaller cast and sharper narrative. One issue with the "Army of the Dead" is that all of its members are uninteresting and forgettable. They make dubious decisions and lack a strong motivation to make them truly stand out. However, in "Army of Thieves," the whys and wherefores of each important character are revealed gradually but steadily, making us care more about their well-beings.
"Army of Thieves" does not, however, innovate the robbery thriller. It still adheres to the foundations of a heist film and plays it safe the majority of the time. For the most part, it's formulaic. It also struggles to keep everything engaging enough to justify its 127 minutes runtime.
Overall, Army of Thieves is a fun and interesting flick. It was able to shine in its own right despite the fact that it feels like it didn’t belong in the universe it is in
3.5/5
"Army of Thieves" opens with the awkward Sebastian Schlencht-Wöhnert (Matthias Schweighöfer), a Potsdam bank cashier. Despite reports of a growing zombie epidemic in Nevada, Sebastian spends his time creating safecracking videos for YouTube. His passion and love for the craft captured the eye of an anonymous user who invited him to compete in an underground safecracking competition.
Sebastian has been developing his skills since he was a child. He even forgoes playing with other youngsters in order to study safes, turn knobs, and crack open various locks.
Sebastian easily won the tournament, as expected. And what is his price? He really doesn’t care. All he wants is attention, especially from Gwedoline (Nathalie Emmanuel), a brilliant jewel thief with a grander purpose for him.
Following the underwhelming "Army of the Dead," "Army of Thieves” is an unexpected hit because of Matthias Schweighöfer's show-stealing performance and direction. Additionally, there are many positives to be said about the film's use of mythology and ingenious story building.
"Army of Thieves" stays true to its action-comedy core, a welcome change from the solemn tone of its predecessor. To be honest, the change in tone makes this film more enjoyable to watch given that it is a prequel to a gruesome zombie thriller.
Not only that, but this lighthearted heist story features bold and striking images ranging from various wonderful architecture to a close up on the spindles and tumblers of the featured vaults. Who would have guessed that an exploration inside safes and locking mechanisms and such could be so captivating to watch?
Matthias did an excellent job of building and directing characters who work cohesively well together. This film is superior to its predecessor due to its smaller cast and sharper narrative. One issue with the "Army of the Dead" is that all of its members are uninteresting and forgettable. They make dubious decisions and lack a strong motivation to make them truly stand out. However, in "Army of Thieves," the whys and wherefores of each important character are revealed gradually but steadily, making us care more about their well-beings.
"Army of Thieves" does not, however, innovate the robbery thriller. It still adheres to the foundations of a heist film and plays it safe the majority of the time. For the most part, it's formulaic. It also struggles to keep everything engaging enough to justify its 127 minutes runtime.
Overall, Army of Thieves is a fun and interesting flick. It was able to shine in its own right despite the fact that it feels like it didn’t belong in the universe it is in
3.5/5