Army of the Dead (2021)
A military convoy transporting secretive cargo from the infamous Area 51 collides with a car on a remote highway. Amid the chaos of the accident, the cargo—an intelligent and highly dangerous zombie—escapes. The creature wreaks havoc, killing and infecting soldiers before heading into Las Vegas, rapidly turning the vibrant city into a zombie-infested wasteland. Despite military efforts to contain the outbreak, the infection spreads uncontrollably. The government, left with no other option, cordons off Las Vegas, transforming it into a massive quarantine zone.
Six years later, former Las Vegas resident and mercenary Scott Ward is approached by casino magnate Bly Tanaka and his associate Martin with a lucrative yet perilous proposal. Tanaka wants Ward to recover $200 million from the vault beneath his casino before the U.S. military obliterates the city with a tactical nuclear strike. Enticed by the reward and a chance to reclaim his life, Ward agrees and begins assembling a team.
Ward recruits Maria Cruz, a skilled mechanic and trusted ally; Vanderohe, a philosopher-turned-warrior; helicopter pilot Marianne Peters; Ludwig Dieter, an eccentric German safecracker; and Mikey Guzman, a sharpshooter accompanied by his loyal associate, Chambers. Martin insists on joining the group to provide access to the casino. Additionally, Ward’s estranged daughter, Kate, reluctantly joins the mission, motivated by the hope of rescuing her friend Geeta, who is trapped in the city. Through Kate, the team secures the help of Lilly, a smuggler familiar with navigating the zombie-overrun Las Vegas. Lilly also brings Burt Cummings, a shady and reluctant camp security guard.
Upon entering Las Vegas, the group encounters a zombified tiger, a chilling sign of the city’s new hierarchy. Lilly explains that the "Alphas," intelligent and organized zombies led by their king, Zeus, will allow passage in exchange for a sacrificial offering. Cummings becomes the unwilling tribute, taken by the Alpha Queen to the Olympus casino, where Zeus infects him.
As the team navigates the perilous city, they encounter swarms of hibernating zombies. Using glow sticks, they carefully mark a path. However, tensions flare when Chambers accuses Martin of harboring ulterior motives. Martin diverts her off-course, causing her to wake the zombies. In a heroic last stand, Chambers sacrifices herself, allowing Guzman to destroy the pursuing horde with an explosion.
At the casino, Ward and Kate restore power while Peters readies a helicopter on the roof. Meanwhile, Dieter focuses on cracking the vault, and Martin manipulates Lilly to capture the Alpha Queen. In a shocking twist, Martin beheads the Queen and reveals his true agenda: to use the head to create a zombie army worth billions. Zeus, enraged upon discovering the Queen’s corpse—along with her unborn zombie fetus—mobilizes his Alphas against the team.
As the government accelerates the nuclear strike, the team faces a ticking clock. While Dieter succeeds in opening the vault, Ward realizes Kate has gone rogue to rescue Geeta. Before they can act, the Alphas attack, killing Cruz. Martin's betrayal is short-lived; as he attempts to escape, he is ambushed and mauled by the zombified tiger.
The survivors scramble to escape. Vanderohe fights Zeus but is overpowered, prompting Dieter to lock him in the vault for safety, sacrificing himself. Ward, Lilly, and Guzman reach the casino lobby, but a swarm overwhelms Guzman, who detonates grenades to destroy the money and zombies. On the roof, Lilly delays Zeus by threatening the Queen's head, but Zeus kills her as she destroys the head.
Ward and Peters rescue Kate and Geeta, but their escape is chaotic. Zeus boards the helicopter, battling Ward. Though Ward manages to kill Zeus, he is bitten in the process. The nuclear blast obliterates the city, sending shockwaves that crash the helicopter. The crash kills Peters and Geeta, leaving Kate as the sole survivor.
In a tragic farewell, Ward hands Kate money to start anew before succumbing to his infection. Forced to kill her father, Kate is left devastated as a rescue team arrives.
Meanwhile, Vanderohe emerges from the vault with the remaining money and escapes on a private jet. However, during the flight, he discovers a grim reality: he has been bitten, setting the stage for a new outbreak in Mexico City.
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