Z-View: “World War Z” [& That Doesn’t Stand for Zablo]

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The Pitch: “Let’s make a zombie movie [zombies are hot] based on Max Brooks’ World War Z novel [that book is hot] starring Brad Pitt [he’s hot].”

The Overview: A worldwide zombie outbreak is spreading at such an alarming rate that it threatens to wipeout humanity.  Brad Pitt plays Gerry Lane, a former UN investigator asked to go with a young scientist and a team of Navy SEALS into a hot zone to see if the scientist can get information to stop the zombie infection. Nothing goes as planned… but does it ever during a zombie outbreak?

The Good:

  • Many thought that Max Brooks’ World War Z novel would be impossible to adapt into a movie.  Perhaps they were right.  Purists will be upset that many liberties were taken in turning World War Z  the novel into World War Z  the movie.  The writers did an excellent job of getting across the worldwide crisis and how different areas are dealing with it.
  • The movie starts off with action almost straight away and lets up only long enough for the audience to get a breath and to set up the next “are you kidding me” sequence.
  • I love the confusion when the outbreaks first hits.
  • Brad Pitt counting the time it takes a bitten person to turn and then counting again when he runs to the roof’s ledge is cool.
  • The scene when Pitt raises his hands to the cop and the officer walks past him to the baby formula makes it clear that priorities have changed and people are on their own.
  • There are several action sequences and they’re all well done.  I like that Pitt is not the man sent in to save the day, but instead he’s the man to keep “that guy” alive.

The Bad:

  • The zombie outbreak.  These zombies are fast.  Again, purists will hate fast-moving zombies.  They don’t bug me and in World War Z  they work well.
  • I was concerned that the ant-like climbing that we see in World War Z  previews would come off as hokey in the movie.  They didn’t.
  • I was also concerned that director Marc [Quantum of Solace] Forster wasn’t the best choice for this film.  I was wrong. Foster did an excellent job.
  • So really the only things bad in World War Z  [other than the outbreak itself] were my preconceived notions… oh, and that thing that happens to Brad Pitt after the commercial airliner sequence.

The Ugly:

  • What happens when you are given a firearm and aren’t trained to use it.
  • It’s also pretty ugly when you think that you’re safe behind a giant wall and start celebrating a little too soon.
  • Oh, and it’s really ugly when a zombie  makes it on a commercial airliner.

The Rating:  A