World War Z is based on a book that would have been great as limited series or left alone as an audiobook, but Plan B entertainment – owned by Brad Pitt – took an interest. The result is a star vehicle for Pitt and an attempt to make a serious summer blockbuster zombie movie.
The end product, as one would expect, is popcorn fodder.
UN field agent Gerry Lane is forced to find the source of a zombie outbreak or else his family would be evicted from the safe accommodations of a US Navy vessel.
In this movie, it makes perfect sense to throw some dude into the middle of a zombie invasion to find a source of a virus. But Brad Pitt wouldn’t have a reason to be the white hero savior of the world so there you go.
Dumb adults run around as the high-speed zombies chase them. Despite a big-budget, the CGI is outdated. There’s non-stop action for anyone who just wants to see Brad Pitt in a mindless blockbuster, but don’t expect any zombie-gnawing action. This movie is about explosions and destruction, the zombies just happen to be in it.
For anyone who has read the book, it’s a big disappointment. For anyone who has seen better, it’s a zombie movie for people who are afraid to watch zombie movies. Towards the end, World War Z ends in an anti-climactic climax with seamlessly placed product placement.
World War Z is a mash of big-budget action, bloodless combat, and family drama. None of it makes a lasting impression.
World War Z
World War Z turns a compelling novel into a generic zombie movie and a star vehicle for Brad Pitt.