DX115FALCON Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 **disclaimer: I read the book before watching the movie, I MIGHT spoil some aspects of it. Read at your own risk** As I have recently started running a Zombie Apocalypse loadout, I thought that I would post this article which I wrote for a website a few months ago, but never got around to uploading. Enjoy! Please note that this is a LONG post. Just so you know what you are getting into. In my opinion, this year's best "summer movie" is the Brad Pitt film "World War Z". The film is one of those oh-so common zombie apocalypse movies nowadays. It won't go winning any awards for originality, but the film is an action-packed romp nonetheless. What confuses me though, is why the film has got such poor reviews. It's Rotten Tomatoes score stands at a 67% critical approval rank, with 71% of audience members enjoying it, makes this film an above average watch- by critical opinion anyway. I am of the opinion that it deserves a better score (I know that a single forum post will not change it) and want to express why. *I'll try to keep plot spoilers to a minimum, but there may still be some from here until the end of the forum post* Pitt plays a washed up special forces soldier (Dirk Steel style), who is tasked with travelling around the world, trying to find a cure to the virus that is turning people The film opens with a massive action scene in Philadelphia (I think) which I appear in- it was filmed in Glasgow, after all. This scene has a VERY convincing zombie turning- which is quite difficult to watch without squirming in your seat. After this, Pitt's character (Gerry) moves inside of a building with minimal lighting. When I was watching this sequence, I thought that my brother would shit himself. It is SO tense as you know that there are Zs in the same area as Gerry and his family. There are a few "Jumpscares " & "Screamers" in this part, which did remove from the overall tension of the scene, but I was starting to feel the same sort of emotions that I was feeling when watching 'Signs' for the first time. Anyway, the escape from PhiliGlasgow onto a warship where Gerry is tasked with going out as part of a research team. On the ship, there are quite a few character names which refer to characters from the book- something which I spent time trying to spot, because I'm sad like that. After this, the team go to Korea, where the team find out about the "origins" of the plague. There is also an overlong sequence in which someone pulls out one his own teeth- which was grisly, to say the least- to present a point. As they are about to escape from the compound that the team are in, Gerry's wife calls him on his sat-phone, alerting every Z in the vicinity of their position. They get away and head to Iraq (I THINK. IT IS EITHER IRAQ OR IRAN) which has been walled off to allow a safe zone to be formed. *as I said, I'm keeping spoilers to a minimum, so the next section won't be in much detail* After all hell breaks loose, Gerry is forced to cut someone's hand off- which is a very shocking scene to watch, at least in my opinion. after a scene on an aeroplane, Gerry ends up in Whales at a top secret research base, where the climatic 45 minutes occur. The ending reminded me of that scene in Shaun Of The Dead when they are trying to get into the pub (see, I didn't spoil anything. Just hinted at it!) After watching it, and my heart rate slowed a bit, I wondered to myself why it got such mediocre reviews. I remeber a review a while back which even said that it was a very good film- 4 or even 5 star material- but the reviewer said that he couldn't possibly give it such a high score as it didn't stand true to the source material. In the end, he gave it 3 stars. And it is this type of biggotism which pisses me right off. He was right, of course. The film is nothing like the book- World War Z: An Oral History Of The Zombie War- but that didn't matter to me. The film is great in its own right and does not deserve to be panned in the way that it is because it shares a name with a successful social commentary of a book. If you have taken the time to read this far, THANK YOU! I have put about an hour into writing so far. I did enjoy the book more than the action/horror film released earlier this year. The book is cleverly written, so well researched and delivers a good message. OK. I'm done writing. For now. Let me know. What you thought of the film and book. All comments on the modern Zombie movie are also most welcome. Delta X-Ray out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilfree Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 The walled off area is Israel. And like you said, its nothing like the book, which disappointed me a little. I thought it was a good film to watch if you enjoy action films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Knight Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I watched this at the weekend, I just thought it was "meh"... A bit too formulaic and too easy to guess what was going to happen next, there were some good bits scattered throughout though, and I thought the "zombies" were done in a refreshing and quite terrifying way. But the main flaw for me was that Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) simply cannot direct action in a clear and watchable way, he needs to sort that out! 6 out of 10 for me. If you enjoyed World War Z, have a go at 28 days later, that is nasty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike636 Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 It also makes no sense. For one if they get so wound up about a bit of noise so they form a zombie ramp and climb over a huge wall without all the zombies at the bottom turning to pulp and with out toppling sideways like a drunken sailor why in the scene where he injects himself would the zombie try a couple of times to smash the glass before thinking "well this is armoured glass I better stop, I will never get through" when we see zombies in the beginning headbutting through windshields. Secondly how did the Z get on the plane , we clearly see that once bitten you turn instantly so how did he get inside Israel? You can't set rules and break them if it's convenient to the plot. Fast Zombies aren't as scary because you can't build tension, there not lurking around every corner because there all playing Twister against a wall! Plus if you wanted an action scene then do Yonkers if your using key places from the book Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporters jcheeseright Posted November 25, 2013 Supporters Share Posted November 25, 2013 It also makes no sense. For one if they get so wound up about a bit of noise so they form a zombie ramp and climb over a huge wall without all the zombies at the bottom turning to pulp and with out toppling sideways like a drunken sailor why in the scene where he injects himself would the zombie try a couple of times to smash the glass before thinking "well this is armoured glass I better stop, I will never get through" when we see zombies in the beginning headbutting through windshields. Secondly how did the Z get on the plane , we clearly see that once bitten you turn instantly so how did he get inside Israel? You can't set rules and break them if it's convenient to the plot. Fast Zombies aren't as scary because you can't build tension, there not lurking around every corner because there all playing Twister against a wall! Plus if you wanted an action scene then do Yonkers if your using key places from the book From what I could tell from watching the movie it was set 'pre-yonkers'. I agree with all of the above though, it wasn't particularly faithful to the book but was still a decent movie regardless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike636 Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 When I heard they were first doing the film Yonkers was the only bit I wanted to see! Though if your out for a good watch try Captain Phillips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporters sp00n Posted November 25, 2013 Supporters Share Posted November 25, 2013 From My preservative :- The film started good, then got even better and better, the scenes were good, acting good, effects were epic..... till they got to Ireland (or wales or where ever it is at the end), then it went down hill faster than a speeding bb!! well, then, it was just pants, almost like they couldn't work out how to end it, so it was very very "B" movie'ish. The acting then was bad, the script was worse, and the effects were very very bad. i was majorly disappointed, no i was annoyed , it could have ended far far better, instead it was turd (i have not read the book, atm i have a book back log, but the film did kinda make me not want to read the book, for the reason above) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike636 Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Honestly, the film is no reflection on the book, or the Zombie Survival Guide. 90% of the book isn't even hinted at during the film. Give it a read! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DX115FALCON Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 "The Guide" is my survival plan. I love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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