It seems like an ordinary day until cities become battlegrounds overrun by bloodthirsty monsters, beings that were once human. Former UN employee Gerry Lane (Pitt) manages to escape, thanks to old connections, and is evacuated with his family to a floating fortress. However, if Gerry wants his wife and children to remain safe, he must assist his former colleagues by escorting a young scientist, accompanied by special forces, to a location where the key to the zombie epidemic may be hidden.
World War Z: A Review
A segment featuring Konstantin Khabensky, set in Russia, was filmed but didn’t make the final cut.
The first and most important thing zombie film enthusiasts need to know about “World War Z” is its age rating. Marc Forster’s film has a rather lenient PG-13 rating, meaning children under 13 can attend screenings as long as they are accompanied by a parent. What does this mean for the viewer? It means that blood will only be shown as splatters on walls and glass, there will be no close-ups of dismemberment or even killings, and during tense scenes where the characters fight off hordes of infected, the camera will shake violently to prevent younger viewers from seeing what zombie films are actually about.
The initial budget was $125 million, but additional filming increased it by more than 50%.
This has happened before in summer blockbusters. “I Am Legend” with Will Smith comes to mind, and the strategy proved successful. That film is considered one of the highest-grossing sci-fi horror films in history, second only to another “teen-friendly” project, Steven Spielberg’s “War of the Worlds.” It’s likely that “World War Z” will also have a successful run at the box office, especially since zombies are once again at the peak of their popularity, Brad Pitt remains a consistently popular star, and the $200 million invested in the film resulted in numerous large-scale action scenes in various locations around the globe (though most of these are heavily featured in the trailers).
As is known, the film is based on the book of the same name, and the screenwriters deserve credit for their adaptation. They managed to create a cohesive and complete storyline from a patchwork narrative composed of fragmented segments. Of course, traces of other zombie films, from “28 Weeks Later” to “Resident Evil,” are visible, but the references are not the worst. The variety of locations allows Marc Forster to periodically modify the overall style, with the action sometimes spilling out onto the streets and emphasizing speed, and at other times confined to claustrophobic interiors where every awkward movement can cost the characters their lives. The only connecting thread in these stories is Brad Pitt, whose character, with a resigned stubbornness (just look into those sad eyes!), crawls towards his ultimate goal. While the star doesn’t deliver any particularly outstanding acting, he exudes a “big Hollywood” presence, flawlessly capturing the audience’s attention.
Final Thoughts
“World War Z” is difficult to recommend wholeheartedly, but it’s also hard to criticize. The creators essentially tied their own hands from the start with the lenient age rating.
It’s unlikely that anyone could have achieved more under such initial constraints (perhaps the camera could have shaken less), but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a compromised film.