Army of the Damned

Army of the Damned

Year: 2013

Runtime: 85 mins

Language: English

Director: Tom DeNucci

Horror

While filming a reality television show, a group of small-town police officers are called to investigate what seems like a routine domestic disturbance. However, the situation quickly escalates into something far more sinister and dangerous, revealing a terrifying threat to the community and forcing the officers to confront a horrifying reality.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Army of the Damned yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Army of the Damned (2013)

Trace every key event in Army of the Damned (2013) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Convoy transports classified package from Area 51

A convoy of soldiers is seen transporting a highly classified package originating from Area 51. During the journey, a couple driving nearby becomes distracted and crashes into the truck after the husband receives a blowjob, causing the payload to become loose. The crash leads to the initial chaos that sets the story in motion.

Area 51 vicinity
2

Zeus, the zombie, emerges and kills soldiers

Following the crash, a massive zombie named Zeus appears, tearing apart the soldiers approaching the payload. He corners the two crashed drivers, ripping off one’s jaw and biting the other, transforming them into zombies. Zeus’s destructive rampage signals the start of the zombie outbreak in Las Vegas.

3

Zombies overrun Las Vegas

Zombies quickly spread throughout Las Vegas, overwhelming the city’s defenses. Efforts are made by mercenaries to eliminate the creatures, but casualties are high, and eventually, the city is sealed off with walls to contain the outbreak. The zombie invasion leads to a prolonged quarantine period.

Las Vegas
4

Years later, Scott Ward is approached with the Vegas job

After years of living in the chaos, mercenary Scott Ward now works at a diner. He is approached by billionaire Bly Tanaka, who offers him $200 million in exchange for retrieving a hidden fortune beneath the Vegas strip before a government nuke destroys the city. The promise of money rekindles Scott’s involvement.

Diner
5

Introduction of Kate and Geeta at quarantine zone

Scott’s daughter Kate volunteers at a quarantine camp where she befriends Geeta. Geeta dreams of escaping with her kids, seeking help from Lilly, the 'Coyote,' who smuggles people out of the city. Tensions rise as security guard Burt Cummings harasses the women.

Quarantine zone camp
6

Scott recruits his team

Reluctantly accepting the mission, Scott recruits his former teammates: mechanic Maria Cruz, retired worker Vanderohe, safecracker Ludwig Dieter, helicopter pilot Marianne Peters, and zombie hunter Mikey Guzman. Additional members, Damon and Chambers, join but are aware of the dangers involved.

7

Team plans their infiltration into Vegas

The crew meets with Tanaka to go over the plan, receiving blueprints and a right-hand man, Martin, for support. They prepare to enter the city, with Scott reconnecting with Kate, although their reunion is tense. Lilly joins the team after learning about her friends’ disappearance.

Tanaka’s location
8

Entering Vegas, they encounter Alpha Zombies

The team enters Vegas, confronting a zombie tiger named Valentine and the Queen of the zombies, The Bride. While navigating underground, they are cautious about hibernating zombies but are overwhelmed when noise awakens them. Chambers is bitten and sacrifices herself to save the team.

Vegas streets & underground tunnels
9

Discovering multiple corpses and blueprints

Inside the building, the team finds evidence of previous failed attempts to retrieve the money, including skeletons of other mercenaries. Tanaka’s other teams have been lost, and Martin reveals plans involving zombie DNA, while The Bride’s head is decapitated by Martin, sparking conflict.

Inside the Vegas building
10

Team secures the vault and attempts escape

Dieter successfully opens the vault, leading to celebrations. However, chaos ensues when zombies attack, and members are overwhelmed—Dieter is killed, Vanderohe gets trapped, and Guzman sacrifices himself to an explosion shot. Martin steals The Bride’s head amid the chaos.

Vault area
11

Lilly and Scott fend off Zeus

Lilly holds off Zeus, the giant alpha zombie, using The Bride’s head as a distraction while Scott escapes with Peters. Zeus impales Lilly but she manages to destroy The Bride’s head, ensuring the zombie cannot be controlled or used directly.

Vegas streets
12

Kate searches for Geeta and Sadie

Kate finds Geeta and Sadie, encountering the zombified Burt Cummings, who kills Sadie. Kate fights Cummings to escape, and the group makes their way to the roof. Peters returns to assist, and they prepare to leave as the nuke is launched to obliterate Vegas.

Vegas rooftop
13

Nuclear detonation and chaos

As the nuke drops on Vegas, Zeus fights Scott and bites his arm during the chaos. Despite this, Scott manages to shoot Zeus’s head. The explosion causes the helicopter to crash, killing Peters and Geeta, while Kate escapes, mourning her father.

Las Vegas sky
14

Final escape and aftermath

Scott’s daughter Kate survives and receives the money to help Geeta’s kids. Scott, now a zombie, is euthanized by Kate. Vanderohe escapes with his share of the money, heading out with a suspicion of infection after feeling dizzy, as he boards a plane headed to Mexico City.

Airport

Last Updated: August 05, 2025 at 06:58

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies with doomed apocalyptic missions like Army of the Damned

Desperate characters undertaking a doomed mission in a world already lost.If you liked the grim, high-stakes mercenary mission in Army of the Damned, explore these films. This thread gathers movies featuring desperate teams or individuals undertaking near-impossible tasks in a post-apocalyptic setting, where the journey is defined by heavy casualties, moral compromise, and a profound sense of futility.

desperategrittyoppressivetensesombercatastrophicmercenary

Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a group, often morally ambiguous or damaged, as they accept a perilous mission in a devastated world. The plot is driven by escalating threats and dwindling resources, leading to a series of brutal confrontations. Character arcs typically involve confronting past traumas and making ultimate sacrifices, with the story concluding in a catastrophic failure or a victory that feels like a loss.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared bleak worldview, high-intensity survival action, and the central theme of a mission that costs more than it could ever be worth. They deliver a consistent experience of gritty tension, heavy emotional weight, and a bittersweet or bleak conclusion that lingers.

Fast-paced horror movies with a sudden collapse like Army of the Damned

Stories where a seemingly normal situation violently unravels into utter chaos.Fans of Army of the Damned's breakneck pacing and sudden descent into chaos will find similar thrills here. These movies feature a rapid shift from a stable, everyday situation into a high-stakes survival horror scenario, maintaining a constant state of dread and action with minimal respite.

tenseanxiouschaoticdesperaterelentlesssurvivalviolent collapse

Narrative Summary

The narrative structure is defined by a pivotal, early event that shatters the status quo. The pacing is fast and rarely lets up, propelling characters from one dire situation to the next. The story focuses on the immediate physical and psychological toll of the collapse, with character development occurring in the heat of moment-to-moment survival decisions.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their explosive pacing and the core experience of watching a world disintegrate in real-time. They share a high-tension, anxious mood, a dark tone, and a focus on the raw, desperate actions people take when faced with an immediate and overwhelming threat.

Unlock the Full Story of Army of the Damned

Don't stop at just watching — explore Army of the Damned in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Army of the Damned is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Army of the Damned Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Army of the Damned, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Army of the Damned Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Army of the Damned

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Army of the Damned. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Army of the Damned

Army of the Damned Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Army of the Damned that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Army of the Damned Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Army of the Damned

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Army of the Damned: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Army of the Damned