Despite being completely different from its source material (I'm reading Zombie Survival Guide now) and a loosely based script, World War Z manages to rebuild itself into a good worth while zombie film. Pitt is convincing as a United Nations specialist trying to find a cure to save humanity from the disease. The movie strives itself in its fast moving pace and thrilling scenes, especially the one in the airplane. Together with Warm Bodies, in which my opinion is actually a better movie, these two new films prove that the zombie genre is far from dead and can still be very entertaining.
World War Z follows a zombie outbreak as it spreads across the globe. Not too much is known about the virus at first, and from the one of the very first scenes of the film, in which Brad Pitt is driving his family through downtown Philadelphia, the action becomes pretty much non stop. Pitt plays a family man who's a retired United Nations specialist. In World War Z, his acting abilities manage to put the movie on par with some of his other great performances showing off that he can play almost any role. Pitt caries the movie and his studio, Plan B films, even produced most of it telling us that this is his baby. As an actor that's been around for some time now, Brad Pitt is a favorite among most movie goers and now the combination of his performance with a zombie apocalypse is eye candy indeed.
To begin, let's talk about the downsides of the movie. First off, the movie is far from perfect. It isn't horrible by any means, but its no where near as good as your classic George A Romoro films, Shaun of the Dead, or even the remake of Dawn of the Dead. The biggest thing I found rather upsetting about watching the film, as most critics and fans will probably agree, is that it ventures far off its original source material.
World War Z is based on the novel written by Max Brooks, who also wrote the Zombie Survival Guide. Brook's novels are intensely detailed, telling us everything you need to know about Zombies, the great zombie outbreak, and the disease (he calls it Solamon, which is never even mentioned in the film). The differences between the film and the books are obvious. For one thing, and perhaps the most important, is how they portray the zombies. I understand the producers and film makers of World War Z needed to do something different, and in that regards, this is actually a plus side of the movie as it looks like nothing that's ever been done before. The zombies in the film are the fast running zombies we've seen in 28 Days Later & 28 Weeks Later. In the novels however, the zombies are slow moving and do not have any super powers as portrait in the filmed. Another difference between the novels and the film is that there's a cure, while in the novels, there is no cure for Solamon, unless you count blowing a zombie's head off. Another off thing about the movie is its script, which could have been written a little better. Well the character development is strong (Especially Brad Pitt's), the story line is stretched out, and a bit unbelievable at times.
Despite the set backs of the movie, the good things about World War Z outway the bad. The film's set pieces are one of them, making them the film the biggest, loudest and most impressive zombie film to date. Each set piece offers an eye popping and awe inspiring feel to it, and you can tell that it took time and thought to complete each one. The impressive set pieces make the film, and there a few memorable ones you will not forget including a horrific scene with Pitt on board a Jumbo jet with zombies.
Almost everyone can agree World War Z is different. It's not your typical zombie movie by any means. It takes us across the world to see how the disease is affecting other countries, including Isreal who's built a wall around it to protect it from the dead. This part alone is fascinating, and you really get to feel on what a zombie outbreak might be like not just for a small group of survivors on one location, but for the entire world.
World War Z is action packed. The action, along with Pitt's performance, the set pieces, and the way zombies are portrayed, is what keeps this film interesting and worth watching. Even if you are a fan of the Max Brooks novels, there's a good chance you'll still be pleased with the film despite its differences from the source material. It's a perfect summer blockbuster that's also a bit scary as well that keeps you on the edge of your seas.
Warm Bodies, another zombie film that's in the romance category which came out earlier this year and is now on DVD is a great movie. If you had to chose between the two, I'd actually recomond Warm Bodies as personally I enjoyed it better. It's so different and unique versus other films in its genre. All the characters and acting in Warm Bodies are great, as well as the story line and back drop of the movie. Like World War Z, Warm Bodies is based a novel Unlike World War Z, Warm Bodies shows that there can still be romance and comedy in a horror filled undead apocalypse.
Both films prove to us that the Zombie genre is far from dead, still extremely entertaining and very strong with no hope of dying in the near future. So rejoice zombie fans, for these two films are not to be missed.
World War Z Grade: B- or 3 out of 5 stars
Warm Bodies Grade: A or 4.5 out of 5 stars
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