A zombie apocalypse is eminent in “World War Z.” Can Brad Pitt save the world? J.P. has his take.
WORLD WAR Z
Paramount Pictures
PG-13 for intense frightening zombie sequences, violence and disturbing images
Directed by: Marc Forster
Executive Producers Marc Forster, Brad Simpson, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Paul Schwake, Graham King, Tim Headington
Produced by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Ian Bryce
Based on the novel by Max Brooks
Screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan
Cast: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Matthew Fox, James Badge Dale, and David Morse
Studio Synopsis:
A former UN investigator is thrust into the middle of trying to stop what could be the end of the world. Worldwide destruction sends him around the globe seeking clues about what they are fighting and what it will take to defeat it, as he tries to save the lives of billions of strangers, as well as his own beloved family.
[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcwTxRuq-uk’]
J.P.’s Take:
Adapting such an expansive novel as Max Brooks’ “World War Z An Oral History of the Zombie War” is a pretty daunting task. Written as a follow up to the 2003 best seller “The Zombie Survival Guide “– also by Brooks – “WWZ” recalls the aftermath of the zombie holocaust, as told through the testimonies of 40+ survivors. Somehow director Marc Forster (“Quantum of Solace”) and writers Matthew Carnahan (“The Kingdom”), Drew Goddard (“Cabin in the Woods”) and Damon Lindelof (“Star Trek Into Darkness”) have managed to efficiently adapt the story and paring it down to one character: retired U. N. agent-turned-stay-at-home dad Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt).
Lane becomes the reluctant hero, as the World Health Organization calls upon his skills in locating the epicenter of the zombie virus. While he searches for a way to contain this virus, the planet is soon thrusted into an “extinction level” event, as he must also aid the W.H.O. to end the carnage before it’s too late.
For the most part “Z” separates itself from the pack focusing on the collapse of our socio/economical infrastructure on a global scale. From the footnotes I’ve read about the novel, it is stated that Max Brooks fashioned his war story after Whitley Strieber’s and James Kunetka’s “Warday”. Yet, Brooks mirrored the oral historical style of Studs Terkel’s World War II novel “The Good War” in terms of telling the story. Then, of course, you can’t knock out a book about zombies without first consulting George A. Romero’s classic film “Night of the Living Dead” as a reference. The author’s tale then goes into greater detail touching on the effects this zombie apocalypse would have on politics, economics, culture and technology over the long haul.
However, for a story that carries such a weighty storyline and staunch character development, something is amiss in the film. Purists of the survivalist’s guide may find this cannibalistic flick sacrilegious for the fact that it strays away from its source material. The story feels a bit thin, as it’s told through the eyes of one character’s account, whereas there are over 40 witness accounts heard in the text. You’d expect a shift in the film’s dynamics, by stylizing itself as a mocumentary. Not having read the book, I felt the film would have benefited from those resounding testaments to truly flesh these frightening submissions further. Instead, Forster and crew play it safe presenting Brooks’ vision as a run of the mill creep fest.
In terms of characters, casting Brad Pitt as the intrepid U. N. retiree paid off for the known actor. Pitt doesn’t play up Gerry Lane as superhuman — he’s a bit cleverer than meets the eye. A simple survival method taken by Lane involved him taping magazines to his extremities, to protect himself from potentially being bitten by ghoulish flesh eaters.
Backing him are co-stars Mireille Enos as Gerry’s wife Karen and Abigail Hargove and Sterling Jerins as his daughters Rachel and Constance Lane, respectively. Additional cast members are James Badge Dale as Capt Speke; Daniella Kertesz as Israeli Solider Segen; David Morse as former CIA agent Gunter; Fana Mokoena as Thierry Umutoni, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nation; and Ludi Boeken as Jurgen Warmbrunn, the head of Israeli intelligence agency. In a less noticeable role is former “Lost” star Matthew Fox, whom if you blink, you might miss him play a U. S. Navy SEAL operative. All made sufficient used of their characters, although more could have been pulled out from them.
Waves of athletic and virulent zombies seem to be the growing trend these days. “World War Z” spares none as they fiercely climb over each other and knocking over vehicles — and attacking the living like rabid animals. You won’t find much blood here, due to its PG-13 rating. Credit is given to Forster and the EFX team for drawing this nightmare-inducing ghoulish creep show in 3D. I must admit this enhancement gave me quite a jolt in scenes where zombies launch themselves at the audience. While many apocalyptic zombies films concentrate on smaller groups of survivors struggling to escape pockets of flesh eating ghouls, Forster’s rendition is about one person trekking around the world on a medical expedition.
All in all, what “World War Z” does have going for it is the sense of urgency. It also feels grander than the sum of its parts. However, due to it’s one sided approach, the deeper story is dialed back. My guess is this was done to allow the audience to become acclimated to an environment which would take at least 3 hours to draw out. I still give it a mild recommendation for the change up in the way a zombie pandemic is presented.