Image ©Paramount Pictures
World War Z Review
By Casey Douglass
World War Z is the film
based on the novel of the same name by Max Brooks. I read the novel
sometime ago and found it very enjoyable. It made me think about some
of the issues involved in a zombie outbreak that I had never before
considered. I’ll admit that as a narrative, being made up of
disjointed events and reports, the novel was a little dry. I can
fully understand why the film was manipulated into a more traditional
narrative, even if it meant leaving out some of the tastiest tales in
the book.
Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt)
is a retired U.N employee who happens to have the skills that the U.N
needs when the zombie outbreak reaches the worldwide consciousness.
He and his family are plucked from the melting pot of teeth and
screeching terror in the hope that he will aid the U.N in its hunt
for the cause of the outbreak and ideally, the cure. Thus the film
proceeds, flying from place to place just ahead of each location
succumbing to the scourge. It struck me as a potential idea for the
next Idiot Abroad TV series, although I would feel very sorry for
Karl Pilkington if that ever got the go ahead.
I was unimpressed with
the film, and I didn’t go there thinking that I wouldn’t like it.
There were the usual moments of silliness that any film seems to
suffer from these days but in the case of World War Z, I just
couldn’t look past them this time.
Brad Pitt’s character
seemed almost surplus to requirements. Any number of faceless U.N
observers would have probably pieced together the clues as to the way
the disease might be hampered, if not eradicated. As that is mainly
what he did. He took the time to watch and observe the victims and
the zombies, while everyone else panicked or fled. This helped him
formulate a course of action which he swiftly keeps to himself. He
calls his bosses on a satellite phone with a rapidly fading battery,
and instead of telling them what he has observed and deduced, he asks
if there is a research station nearby. Well thanks Brad, if you die
before you get there no one will be any the wiser as to what you were
going to do or try!
The zombies in the film
are the controversial “fast moving” kind that sprint at you at
full speed. I don’t mind those too much, as it does make the chase
scenes that little bit more exciting. If I had to choose between two
films though, I would usually choose the shambling zombies over the
athlete kind. Maybe I am a traditionalist in that sense, but it just
feels right to me.
I was unlucky enough to
see the film in 3D. All I can say is DON’T BOTHER! Besides a few
dark corridor sequences which gave a meagre impression of depth, the
rest of the film was flatter than the pages of the book that bares
its name. I am not a great fan of in your face 3D but to pay extra
for what felt like minimal effect didn’t help my opinion of the
film. To this day, the best uses of 3D that I have ever seen were the
recent Resident Evil films, they are quite stunning.
The plot of the film
was okay, and the ending seemed to be the right one for the film. The
acting was fine, the CG passable, the music was the typical “save
the world” kind of duh...duh-duh-duh-duh-duh beat. Maybe the book
ruined me for the film, I just don’t know. All I do know is that I
won’t be too bothered if I don’t ever see it again.
Rating : 2.5/5
On IMDb
