World War Z Review

World War Z

2.5 stars out of 4

By Brett Takeshita

Brad Pitt attempts to save the world and mankind as we know it from hordes of evil zombies. Ladies (and maybe gentlemen), if that doesn't have you running to the theaters with your pants in a tizzy, then I don't know what will. If you can forgive its flaws, you'll enjoy World War Z for what it is: exciting and occasionally thrilling summer entertainment.

Earth is facing chaos. For whatever reasons it may be -- global warming, carbon dioxide emissions, pollution, people's ignorance, or possibly just pure bad luck -- a virus is spreading around the globe that turns people into violent and insane zombies. And these bad boys aren't your typical stupid slow-moving undead -- they are vicious. They sprint like Olympic track stars, move in masses, and can form columns to climb huge walls. They are capable of devastating and destroying entire plots of land and architecture. Only one man can stop this madness, and that man is Gerry (Brad Pitt), a former employee of the United Nations who must travel the globe to research the virus and find some sort of a cure or preventative. Gerry must leave his wife (Mireille Enos) and his two daughters, and then put himself into lethal situations in order stop the downfall of civilization.

World War Z is a movie that I'd like to think of as "start-and-stop." It begins in a thrilling fashion by hurtling at an insanely swift pace. There isn't much exposition -- only action. We are introduced to Gerry and his family, and then while the family is stuck in traffic in the city, the virus explodes amongst the people. And off the movie goes. I was amazed at how we are just sorta thrown in for the ride, and it's exhilarating to experience the rush and the scares of the zombies and the chaos with the family. The set-pieces are ridiculously well-done and help draw you into this world on the brink of destruction. Not only are the special effects and CGI incredibly impressive, but it's also awesome to see these badass zombies subvert all expectations. When they sprint headfirst into car windshields and throw themselves at humans without mercy, it's terrifying and stunning all at once. What is also brilliant and helps quicken both the pace and the intensity is that once a human is bitten by a zombie, it only takes 12 seconds for them to turn. So you are on pins and needles waiting for more zombies to emerge and for innocent humans to turn quickly. The beginning of World War Z absolutely dazzles.

But great things can only last for so long. After the action settles, we follow Gerry as he visits countries such as Korea and Israel in hopes of finding out more about the virus. While the film is intriguing in that he has to go from place to place and connect all the pieces of this puzzle, the dialogue is less than interesting. In fact, it can be downright boring. As stupid as it sounds, I was tapping my foot in boredom waiting for the next thrilling set-piece. Story, exposition, and dialogue is definitely not World War Z's strong point, and for a while, there is too much of it.

Things definitely get more interesting towards the last act of the movie, which is incredibly tense and suspenseful. It differs from the beginning in that the tension is way more quiet and subtle. Here is when the sound design is most effective. A kick of a can, a creak of a door, and the flicker of a light will leave you breathless and completely on edge. The lead-up to the end is spectacular. But the ending feels  unsatisfying in its abruptness and semi-inconclusiveness.

I applaud director Marc Forster for creating a zombie movie that is thrilling, exciting, scary, and refreshing. He injects this movie with enough edge and suspense to keep you hooked. Ultimately, his vision for dazzling special effects sequences and effective zombie scares are what is most impressive with this film. I don't blame Forster for the slow-moving middle, because I believe that it's the screenwriters' fault. Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard, and Damon Lindelof are the main writers here (with the number of writers and number of rewrites suggesting how problematic the script was). They can write action well and keep the thrills coming, but the dialogue is so stilted and boring. What is perhaps the weakest aspect of the script is the lack of character development. While we empathize with Gerry, we don't know enough about him. Almost all of the other characters are completely one-dimensional and make it hard for you to care about them. By far the weakest characters in the film are Gerry's little daughters, who are (I hate to say it) annoying, shrill, and whiney. Better, more fleshed out characters would have made this film a stronger one.

However, World War Z works as well as it does because of Brad Pitt and his excellent performance. He plays this character with quiet strength and bravery. He is a vessel for the audience and allows us to see the world through his eyes. Pitt plays this character with compassion, fear, smarts, and power. What's most impressive is that he keeps this messed-up world believable because he, himself, is always believable and sells every moment. Mireille Enos is very nice here as the strong housewife who simply wants her husband to come home. Unfortunately, she seems a little under-utilized. Enos is such a strong actress, but she isn't given much to do.

World War Z is filled with many flaws, but I still found myself enjoying it more than tolerating it. Even though the writing can be less than great, the stellar action, solid direction, and breathtaking special effects make up for it. World War Z is an entertaining popcorn flick that is great for the summer. If you've been waiting for scary zombies and a perfect Brad Pitt, then here's your movie. Two and a half stars out of four.