Movie review: World War Z

World War Z
Directed by: Marc Forster
Starring: Brad Pitt

Rating: B+

I admit, I saw this movie first in the theaters last summer and I loved it. Okay, it wasn't love, but I liked it a lot more than I like most science fiction. I enjoyed the continuous action and that the camera didn't dwell on any gore, it stayed with the action and kept moving. The movie wasn't bloody or terribly gross. For me, the movie felt like more of a mystery that had to be solved than a movie about zombies. I followed along with the main character as he attempted to piece together the clues from the disastrous outbreak that were available. In the end, the hero saves the day. He not only figured out the weak spot for these creatures that were trying to obliterate all of humanity, but he also succeeded in triumphing over the zombies through testing his hypothesis (out of necessity granted) and proving himself right, essentially saving the world. I love movies that I classify as "down with the bad guy" and this isn't a typical entry in this category but it does fit the bill. The underdog wins out in the end.

The reason I decided to blog on this topic is that I have heard many negative reviews of this movie upon its release on Netflix. There can be many hypotheses on the reason, but I think the poor opinions have a lot to do with what we, as a culture, have become accustom to in our media consumption. Shows like Walking Dead have conditioned us to not only tolerate gratuitous gore, but to expect it. Then, when a movie or show falls short we react negatively. This same reaction is seen if a movie doesn't have enough action or extreme stunts. I have found myself yelling at the television during an episode of 24, where's the action Jack? Where's the body count? We like to see our media push the limits and always do more. We expect this instead of wanting producers and directors to push the limits on quality or creativity.

So yes, I thought World War Z was a great movie. There was a strong, dramatic, and suspenseful story line. There were moments, like a cell phone ringing at a very inopportune time, that make you cringe with familiarity. Who hasn't accidentally bumped an object that started a chain reaction of noise while trying to be sneaky and quiet? I strongly recommend this movie as I feel it is highly entertaining.