Although they differ in terms of how scary they are, most zombie films are generally the same- an unknown plague sweeps across the world, a strong person or group of people stand against it and by the end of the film, no cure is found. However, Marc Forster’s “World War Z” shakes up the zombie genre we all know and love a little bit.
Based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Max Brooks, “World War Z” follows Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt), a retired United Nations employee, as he travels across the infected world for a possible cure to the zombie virus.
Unlike most films of the zombie genre, the zombies featured in “World War Z” aren’t your average sacks of rotting flesh with their only instinct being hunger- they’re tactical, scheming and deadly, whether it one of them or ten of them. Throughout the movie they’re showcased as physically superior to other products of the same trade. They’re able to run faster than your average human, jump higher and not to mention, they’re smart enough to use their surroundings, like climbing on top of eachother to scale a large wall. Good luck, Brad Pitt.
Brad Pitt’s performance as Gerry Lane is just another one to add to his repertoire of masterful performances. He showcased his versatility to be multiple characters throughout the movie, whether he was being the concerned father and family man or the skillfully trained United Nations employee he used to be, Pitt knows where to draw the line between performances and never misplaces it. He especially had to up his game for this film, considering he was no doubt the MVP of the cast list.
There are aspects of the movie that will tug at the nerves of fans of the book, but that is only to be expected from film adaptations of such popular books. The film’s themes aren’t nearly as serious and as implicating as those of the novel’s but Pitt does a more than acceptable job of bringing the character of Gerry Lane to life and his performance alone drives the two-hour film just past the expectations of such criticisms.
Unlike most films of the survival horror genre, “World War Z” is rated PG-13, which hardly takes away from the action the film offers. The rating does damper the genre a bit, as fans of zombies are usually lusting for blood and guts at least a little bit. However, the rating does show the expertise of Pitt’s presence, as he hardly swears during the film, making “World War Z” one of the few “scary” movies that the whole family can enjoy.
However, the film does excel in intensity. There isn’t much scarier than running for your life from deranged people who are trying to eat you or trying to survive a plane crash. Although the film isn’t too scary, it does get your heart pumping fast during its climactic scenes.
The film may not follow the same formula as the book from which it was adapted, Brad Pitt’s performance drives the film past whatever expectations critics and fans of the book had and although it won’t give you any nightmares, “World War Z” will give you quite a thrill for your buck.
Rating: 4/5