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    World War Z

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

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    While "World War Z" has some issues, there is genuine tension, enough spectacle and some new ideas for zombie genre throughout. Zombie films are a dime a dozen, partially because they're incredibly cheap to make (all you need is a couple buckets of blood, some makeup, and plenty of extras) and partially because they really hit that pre-existing fear that everyone has inside them, the fear of crowds, of strangers and of death. There's something incredibly unsettling about seeing someone having to take down their loved ones for fear of getting eaten alive and the post-apocalyptic genre that often accompanies these shows off people at their worst and most dangerous, often making the undead the least of your worries. If you're a big fan of the genre, you've likely seen so many that you're probably getting bored with some of the lesser entries. You're craving something new. You should try giving "World War Z" a shot.

    The premise starts off like most other zombie movies: Our hero Gerry (Brad Pitt) is just living his everyday normal life when strange reports come in. People afflicted with a strange form of rabies are attacking their loved ones, biting them and infecting them in turn. To make things worse, the infected appear to be nearly unstoppable, only going down when shot in the head. Pretty soon, the city he and his family are living is in total chaos. Gerry is a former UN employee that specialized in entering dangerous zones to rescue important people or retrieve critical information. In a world thrown into chaos, only he has the skills to get to the bottom of this zombie plague and find a cure.

    This is a zombie film where not only do we get multiple locations but there is an objective besides basic survival. Gerry and his various allies travel from the United States to Asia, the Middle-East, and Europe, tracking down the origins of the virus. You get to see different ethnicities dealing with the plague in original ways and you get to see a variety of landmarks covered with zombies. I found it interesting to see real-life (and stand-ins for real-life) locations that theoretically could survive a world-ending plague and serve as sites of operation. This is where the originality comes in. You’re not going to see the typical zombie film plot points like the gang of rednecks to come barging in and ruining everything. This world has a whole new set of problems and solutions, original stuff.

    The story also has an original take on zombies. This is not a horror film. It's an action story, with elements of horror added. For that reason, the zombies are shown less as shambling, rotting bodies and more like a predatory hive of insects. These corpses are running, crawling over cars and walls, reaching through holes like a swarm of ants going after a much bigger prey. The zombies scrambling over each other in what almost seems like a unified desire to consume, a good match for the well-equipped military who has plenty of bullets, bombs, and rockets to try and push them back. This is also unfortunately where the film is going to loose some people. I encourage you to watch at least one trailer and see the zombies as they create waves of flailing arms and gnashing teeth, washing over everything and everyone in their path. If that looks like something you'd be eager to watch, go for it. If not, this movie will not be for you because that is the way the zombies behave throughout.

    Regardless of your opinion on the way the ghouls behave, the film has some genuine problems. There are multiple instances where characters are killed because they were written with bad peripheral vision. There is also more than one moment where the characters make critical, idiotic mistakes but as luck would have it, manage to survive. This story needed a bit more tightening, as some characters or seemingly important revelations have no payoff whatsoever. The “solution” our hero comes up with to get rid of the zombie apocalypse also feels very weak. I’m not convinced it would work at all.

    Despite the nearly 2 hr running time the movie remains constantly exciting. We follow intelligent characters that do make some stupid mistakes but are quick to come up with new solutions and don't give into mindless panic when confronted with danger. I found the detective plot interesting to follow. Some clues dry up, new ideas emerge and throughout Gerry also has to dodge the huge armies of zombies. It's quite the challenge. Frankly, it's also a nice change to see a zombie film where there's actually some hope for the human race instead of just an inevitable and gruesome death awaiting us all. It's a zombie movie you'll want to see in the theaters (although the 3D is not necessary) Not only do you get to see the nice wide shots of cities under siege on a big screen (so approximately to scale) but if you're in a packed cinema you'll get just a little bit antsy about being stuck in a crowded room with so many strangers. It's an experience you can't replicate at home. While for some people the very premise will turn them off and the hick-ups will detract from the movie experience, those that saw the trailers and liked this new take should give "World War Z" a try. (3D theatrical version on the big screen, July 9, 2013)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  6.8.2016 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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