World War Z

Cast of Characters:
Gerry Lane - Brad Pitt
Karin Lane - Mireille Enos
Captain Speke - James Badge Dale
U.S. Navy Parajumper - Matthew Fox

Director - Marc Forster
Screenplay - Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard & Damon Lindelof
Based on the novel "World War Z" by Max Brooks
Rated PG-13 for intense frightening zombie sequences, violence and disturbing images


      Academy Award nominee Brad Pitt gets chased down by a zombie breakout on speed in the film adaptation of World War Z. What's not to like with that scenario?

      Former UN employee Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is driving through Philadelphia with his wife Karin (Mireille Enos) and their two children when the car radio reports of a rabies outbreak spreading internationally. They are then surprised by a horde of zombies running wild through the streets, chasing down live humans. Through an old colleague of his, Gerry is able to escape with his family to a U.S. Naval Ship off the coast of New York. On board the ship, the military personnel are hopeful Gerry - with his past expertise as a UN investigator - is willing to help them figure out what, how, when, and why all this carnage is happening around them. If he is willing to help them, his family can stay on board, protected from the outbreak.

      The military sends Gerry, along with a team of U.S. SEALS and a young virologist who may be the key to figuring out the origin of this plague, to South Korea. It is there where the term "zombie" was first used in reference to the current outbreak. Gerry and the team sent with him must find any clue or source to the virus's origin in order to create a vaccine that can help prevent the plague from spreading further.

      Max Brooks's novel "World War Z" attracted a huge following, selling at least a million copies and spending four weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list. That said, I have not read the novel, so I went in planning to review this solely as a movie. This film is certainly not without flaws. The ending is a bit underwhelming, and the way the writers resolved the conflict seemed a little too easy. Judging from the final line of dialogue, there may be a sequel in the works. That could possibly explain the lackluster ending, but I kept thinking a rewrite really wouldn't have hurt. To it's credit, we don't get bogged down with the token "This is how it came about..." speech, and in spite of the flaws, this is still an entertaining flick. What could've been just another run of the mill zombie movie is elevated by Brad Pitt and director Marc Forster. Over the past ten years, Forster has strung together hit after hit with Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland, Stay, Stranger Than Fiction, The Kite Runner, Quantum of Solace (the least of the Daniel Craig Bond films, but still one I enjoyed), and Machine Gun Preacher. Here he brings a nice, delicate balance between zombie horror (the gore is a bit more on the mild side, being rated PG-13) and suspense thriller, never letting one side completely take over the other. Utilizing a wide array of fantastic set pieces and stringing together a thrilling flight sequence along with some other effective zombie horde shots (the wall scaling scene, for example), Forster proves once again to be a unique and versatile talent.

      Rumor has it that the film has deviated quite a bit from the novel, so to the fanboys, you've been warned. While the weak ending and resolution holds the film back from being as good as it could've been, Brad Pitt as well as the supporting cast, and Marc Forster elevate the film with performances that deliver and sharp direction. It's not what I'd call a film you have to rush out and see, but I also feel your time won't be wasted if you do. If you plan on waiting to rent it, throw in Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later and George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead along with it and make it a zombie night. I give World War Z a B (★★★).

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