WORLD WAR Z

The Zombie movie is a genre of film that has long been in need of a shot in the arm (perhaps of embalming fluid).  The problem stems from the fact that most films in this genre try too hard to copy George Romero's horror classic Night of the Living Dead (1968) and inevitably fall far short. That is not, of course, to say that interesting things have not been attempted (Found Footage, running zombies etc.) it’s just that these films rarely tend to surprise.  

So news that there was to a cinematic adaptation of Max Brookes’s cult novel gave many hope that this would give the genre a second life (no pun intended).  To a degree director Marc Forester succeeds in giving us something new, at least part of the way.   The opening of the film is brilliantly done.  Our main characters are found in blissful domesticity with only vague rumblings of danger in the background until the catastrophe finally erupts around them.  After that it has to be said things take a bit of a dip.  This is not to say that film becomes boring simply that it becomes a bit lacking in direction.

The remainder of the movie follows Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) a UN employee who is trying to track the zombie virus to its source and thus find a cure. Whilst these scenes on their own are good, compared to the opening they feel slightly rudderless.  It turns out that the likely reason for this for this might be down to the somewhat troubled production history.  Major rewrites were necessary in order ultimately bring the story to the screen. The irony is that the section of the film most affected by these changes (the ending) is the section where the movie really pulls itself back together.

Much of the strength of the film can be attributed to the performances. Pitt does a good job although his character has some truly ridiculous lines and Mireille Elios really captures the helpless inactivity of his wife Karin safe but separated from him.   Even minor characters allow their actors the chance to shine.  The performances of Pierfrancesco Favinos (doctor)and  Daniella Kertez particularly stand out.  These characters add emotional weight to a scenario that many moviegoers have become accustomed to.

The ending, as mentioned earlier, is one of the movies strong points. Something which has plagued the zombie movie genre is endings which tend to blur into one.  World War Z does not follow this set pattern. Whether this is due to genuine good planning and forethought or the film’s troubled production is not clear (interestingly the original ending was far nearer to the norm).  Although not the greatest movie ending in history it moves the characters into a new place and gives the audience a more thoughtful open ended conclusion.  A refreshing change from the usual “everyone’s dead” or jump scare endings.

FINAL VERDICT - 6/10  - the middle of the film drags the score down somewhat and prevents it getting a seven or an eight but this is still a very interesting film which seems to have struck a chord with audiences and sequels are already planned.