Army of Thieves (2021)

Army of Thieves is a prequel to Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead, focusing on the German safecracker Ludwig Dieter. Matthias Schweighöfer not only reprises his role as Dieter, but also takes a seat in the director’s chair! Let’s consider the pros and cons of Army of Thieves…

Pros: Firstly, I think it’s a smart move to follow this particular character, because he is by far the best part of Army of the Dead. And although I have issues with many of the characters in this movie, Matthias gives a fun and engaging performance. Secondly, are the crisp special effects and CGI. For instance, the “safecracker view” as Dieter goes to work gives us an inside look at each safe. It’s thoughtful and well executed touches like this that separates Army of Thieves from your average crime heist movie.

Cons: As charming and funny as Dieter is in Army of the Dead, as the protagonist in this movie, his childlike personality gets increasingly grating throughout the runtime. And speaking of runtime, this 2 hour movie felt more like 3. I think some scenes could have been cut short or altogether to improve the pace of the movie. For instance, although I like the “safecracker view”, I’m not sure it needs to be shown EVERY SINGLE TIME Dieter puts his ear to a safe. Lastly, is the plot which I had trouble buying into. Dieter is no criminal, yet is recruited by this “Army of Thieves” after winning a sudden underground safecracking contest, which he is clued into by a YouTube comment. Now, I’m not sure if you have a YouTube channel, but the idea of anything worthwhile coming from the comment section is laughable in it’s own right (only half joking).

I give Army of Thieves a B-. It’s a polished heist movie that fits in well with Snyder’s AotD, but overall didn’t resonate much with me. If you liked AotD I definitely recommend it, but if not, you’re not missing much. Happy Watching!

“It’s not just about the money.. It’s about the quest.”