WORLD WAR Z (2013) (some spoilers)

[indianasmith]

Yes I did.  I put this in the "Good Movie" category - BARELY.

First of all, if you have not read the book, see the movie first.  You'll enjoy the film much more that way.  Secondly, if you HAVE read the book, do not walk in thinking that this is an adaptation - even though the credits say it is.  Just imagine that some producer saw the title, read the back of the book, and decided to write his own screenplay without ever actually reading what Max Brooks wrote.

WHAT WORKS: Brad Pitt, for one.  He was believable and likable as the main character, a UN troubleshooter named Gerry.  Most of the scientists and military figures come across as actual people, not caricatures.  Many of the on-the-ground sequences in heavily infected areas are quite believable too.  The final thrill sequence, a long sneak through of an infested WHO lab in England, was incredibly tense and well done.  The zombies work OK in close-up mode, especially when they are "dormant".  And the solution they come up with to combat the zombies is original and believable.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: The CGI sequences.  I don't hate CGI on principle, like many here do, but the mass zombie swarms climbing up walls and buildings just look entirely too fake.  And, of course, the nature of the zombies themselves - no slow, shambling Romero horrors here, but rather a combination of the 28 DAYS LATER and RESIDENT EVIL creatures.  And the initial overunning of Philadelphia, seen in the trailer, is not as punchy as you hoped it might be.  All you see is people running and being tackles, no gut-pulling or flesh-munching to speak of.

All in all, this is an enjoyable, if forgettable, summertime CGI-fest popcorn flick.  I got in at the matinee rate of $3, and did not feel like my money was wasted.  Anyone else seen this one yet?

[akiratubo]

This movie sucked.  It's one of those that starts off ok but gets worse and worse until it finally, mercifully ends.  The filmmakers must have been getting pretty impatient with it, too, because the ending seriously gives off a "let's just end this damn thing, already" vibe.  The heroes are bland, the zombies aren't scary (in fact, the audience I was part of busted out laughing every time one got a close-up), and the whole movie simply lacks energy.

The initial outbreak is well-handled, as is Brad Pitt's family's reaction to it.  Unfortunately, the movie has already blown its wad and everything else is just going through the motions.  The sacking of Jerusalem is decent but really just more of what we already saw during the attack on Philly.  Once Brad Pitt finds himself sneaking through a virology lab past a horde of zombies apparently practicing their vaudeville routines, the movie virtually grinds to a halt -- and that's supposed to be the climax!  And, again, the ending is the biggest "out with a whimper" I've seen in a long, long time.  There's a short montage of people fighting zombies right before the end credits, which seems to be the movie saying, "Oh, is this kind of stuff what you thought you were going to see?  Suckers!"

I feel as though I wasted my time and money, and so did my friends.

[indianasmith]

To each their own, I suppose.  The laboratory sequence was probably my favorite part of the whole film.  That being said, they would have done better to stick to the book.

[dean]

When they announced it I thought 'Why??' as the book doesn't really suit a film format.  Then I saw the trailer and knew it had nothing to do with the book.  That being said I was interested in the swarm zombie idea, so hey, I'll give it a chance [so far I've had a few people say good things and a couple said meh.] 

[Rev. Powell]

It was OK. The first act was a predictable setup, made for action scenes. The second act started to get more interesting as it turned into a medical drama with the search for Patient Zero, and also touched on some of the soiciopolitical aspects of how different countries dealt with the outbreak. (More of that would have been fascinating). The third act was a letdown; the solution to the zombie crisis was pretty implausible and the climax seems to be missing. Agree that the zombies swarming up the walls in a human pyramid looked ridiculous. The action scenes were exciting enough and I didn't feel ripped off, just ho-hum. 2.5/5.

[dean]

also touched on some of the soiciopolitical aspects of how different countries dealt with the outbreak. (More of that would have been fascinating).

This was probably the best part of the book.  Shame they didn't explore that element more by the sounds of it.

[VenomX73]

Too much CGI. I felt like I was watching a bad cut scene on the PlayStation. 

I also felt like the movie was kicking Humanity below the belt - just my opinion.

[pizdatrica]

I actually liked the zombies in this one, and the fact that they don't eat people, they are just a means of spreading the virus. And I did like the scenes with hordes of zombies climbing one over the other, falling and getting smashed on the ground only to continue moving, such scenes show what I find most terrifying in zombie movies, and that is danger in masses. A whole bunch of people coming to get you, who cannot be stopped easily and who feel no pain.

[ralfy]

Would have been better as a TV mini-series. That way, there would have been more character development and many of the events in the book would have been.