Army of Thieves Is Not the Movie You Expect
I hit play on Army of Thieves expecting a high-stakes, action-heavy prequel to Army of the Dead. What I got instead was something closer to a quirky rom-com dressed in a heist jacket. Sure, there are safes and chases and the occasional shootout, but the energy is way more charming than chaotic. It’s not about surviving zombies. It’s about a socially awkward guy trying to prove he’s more than just a YouTube safecracking nerd.
Matthias Schweighöfer directed this film and also reprises his role as Ludwig Dieter, though here he goes by his real name, Sebastian. This movie gives him a full backstory. We see him before the Vegas outbreak, working a boring bank job and uploading safecracking videos to an audience of none. It’s his origin story, but it plays like a lighthearted caper instead of a tense thriller. If Army of the Dead was all grit and gore, this is more like a stylish heist comedy with heart.
📚 Table of Contents
1. The Cast Brings More Than Just Charm 2. Expect Romance in a Zombie Free World 3. The Safecracker Is the Real Star Here 4. When the Setting Does Half the Work 5. Links to Army of the Dead Are Subtle 6. Is This the Start of a New Netflix World? 7. What Worked and What Felt Off? 8. Should You Watch This Before Army of the Dead? 9. Questions Viewers Always Ask 10. You’ll Either Love This or Be Thrown OffThe Cast Brings More Than Just Charm
Casting is a big reason Army of Thieves works. Schweighöfer’s nervous, endearing energy grounds the whole thing. Nathalie Emmanuel, best known from Game of Thrones and Fast & Furious, plays Gwendoline, a master thief who recruits Sebastian into a crew. She brings this cool confidence that balances his awkwardness. Together, their chemistry feels genuine without trying too hard.
Supporting characters like Korina (Ruby O. Fee), Rolph (Guz Khan), and Brad Cage (Stuart Martin) each bring a different flavor. Korina’s hacker genius is played with snappy wit, while Rolph’s comic timing lightens the mood whenever things get tense. Brad Cage is the wildcard, the muscle with a fragile ego. It’s a well-balanced mix of personalities that never feel one-note. Each has a moment that sticks, whether it’s a sarcastic comment or a split-second of unexpected vulnerability.
Expect Romance in a Zombie Free World
One of the wildest surprises for me? This movie has a soft spot. It really leans into the idea of unexpected connection. Sebastian and Gwendoline’s dynamic goes beyond crew camaraderie. There’s this shy, sweet build-up that feels almost old-fashioned. They don’t even kiss, but the emotional pull between them is undeniable. It adds tension, but not the kind you expect from a movie tied to a zombie universe.
That emotional layer makes the movie feel more complete. It's not about surviving, it’s about being seen. The story gives time to quiet moments—watching someone crack a safe becomes an almost meditative thing. You’re not here for guns blazing. You’re watching a man fall in love with what he does and maybe who he’s doing it with. That angle caught me completely off guard, in the best way.
The Safecracker Is the Real Star Here
It’s rare to see a movie where the nerd is the hero without needing a glow-up or some grand makeover. Army of Thieves keeps Sebastian awkward and brilliant from start to finish. He’s the kind of protagonist who panics in car chases, talks too much when nervous, and fumbles through introductions. But when it comes to safes, he’s in his zone. The camera even slows down to match the rhythm of his mind when he's at work.
👉 FUN FACT: The safes in the movie are based on the legendary works of locksmith Hans Wagner, who is a fictional character in the Snyderverse. Each one has a name and a mythos, adding a layer of fantasy to Sebastian’s obsession. According to Screen Rant, the safes are inspired by operas, giving them a dramatic legacy that fits the tone of the film.
When the Setting Does Half the Work
I didn’t expect to love the locations so much, but the film’s European backdrop really does a lot of the heavy lifting. From Paris to Prague, the visuals are stunning. This isn’t just a change in geography. It changes the feel of the whole movie. The streets, buildings, and even the getaway scenes have a smoother, more elegant quality compared to the gritty chaos of Las Vegas in Army of the Dead.
Every set piece has flair. The banks feel like fortresses, not just props. Even the cars and clothes add to the atmosphere. There’s a sharp contrast between Sebastian’s neat, nerdy look and the polished, high-end vibes of the cities he travels through. According to The Verge, the production leaned heavily into creating a stylish, accessible aesthetic—something more Bond than Batman. And it works. You’re not just watching a movie. You’re looking at a curated, visual treat that doubles as a European road trip.
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Links to Army of the Dead Are Subtle
Going in, I thought this would feel more like a direct setup to Army of the Dead. Instead, the connections are minimal and mostly emotional. There’s no zombie outbreak. There are no flashy references to Vegas, other than a few news clips hinting that something strange is happening over in the United States. This movie isn’t here to explain what happened before the zombies took over. It’s here to explain who Ludwig Dieter was before he got that name.
If anything, this story gives his fate in Army of the Dead more weight. You understand why he froze when he saw those legendary safes. You understand why he was willing to sacrifice himself. And even if those scenes were light on backstory when we saw them earlier this year, Army of Thieves fills in those emotional blanks. It adds depth, not lore.
Is This the Start of a New Netflix World?
I can’t help but think Netflix is building something bigger here. Army of Thieves feels like a test run for a broader universe that doesn’t have to rely on zombies. It plays more like a standalone caper with character-driven charm. That’s a bold move considering the hype around Army of the Dead, which leaned hard into its monster spectacle and blood-soaked action.
Zack Snyder produced this, but the tone is very different. You can still feel a hint of his style in the production quality and worldbuilding, but this is definitely Schweighöfer’s film. According to Variety, Netflix is already open to expanding the franchise even further, and honestly, if the next movie carries this same balance of style and soul, I’m in.
👉 FUN FACT: Director and lead actor Matthias Schweighöfer had to film most scenes in English, which is not his native language. According to his interview with Collider, he found the experience both challenging and fun, especially when playing a character that was already so loved by fans after Army of the Dead.
What Worked and What Felt Off?
By the time the credits rolled, I was surprised by how much I ended up liking the movie. But that doesn't mean it’s perfect. The pacing in the second act drags a bit. There are moments where the heist plan takes a back seat to character beats that feel a little stretched. It’s a slow burn, which might not work for people expecting constant motion.
That said, the character moments mostly pay off. What felt off for me initially was the expectation mismatch. I came in thinking I’d be getting a zombie prequel full of chaos and danger. Instead, I got a clever and stylish movie that felt more like The Italian Job than World War Z. Once I let go of what I thought it should be, I started appreciating it for what it actually was.
Should You Watch This Before Army of the Dead?
This is one of those prequels where you can go either way. Watching it first gives you more insight into who Sebastian is and why he acts the way he does in Army of the Dead. It won’t spoil anything major, since the two movies are pretty self-contained. But watching it after actually gives his final scenes more emotional weight.
If you already saw Army of the Dead, this fills in the gaps without being too obvious. If you haven’t seen it yet, this movie still stands strong on its own. You don’t need zombie lore to appreciate a story about someone finding their purpose. It’s not about the bigger apocalypse. It’s about a guy who went from zero views on YouTube to cracking legendary safes with a team that believed in him.
Questions Viewers Always Ask
➡️ Is Army of Thieves connected to Army of the Dead?
➡️ Are there zombies in Army of Thieves?
➡️ Do I need to watch Army of the Dead first?
➡️ Is there a post-credits scene?
➡️ Is Army of Thieves a comedy or a thriller?
➡️ Will there be a sequel?
You’ll Either Love This or Be Thrown Off
I won’t lie. I was disappointed during the first 30 minutes. I kept waiting for zombies to pop up or for the tone to shift into something darker. But when that never came, I started watching differently. And that’s when I started enjoying it. What it lacks in horror or high-stakes action, it makes up for with personality, clever pacing, and surprising emotional beats.
This isn’t the movie I thought I was going to write about today. But I’m glad I stuck around to see where it went. Army of Thieves may be one of those films that catches you off guard — not because of a shocking twist, but because it quietly earns your attention. If you just finished watching it too, let me know. Did it surprise you like it did me?
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