World War Z
2013PG-13
A U.N. employee races against time and fate as he travels the world trying to stop the spread of a deadly zombie pandemic. As the undead hordes gain strength across the globe, governments topple and Earth stands on the brink of total social collapse.
My Review:
If you haven’t gone to see the movie World War Z yet, hesitate no longer. This summer blockbuster has
everything a good movie needs: plenty of action that keeps your eyes glued to
the screen; emotional scenes that make you root for the characters; believable
acting along with a plot that actually makes sense.
The movie is rated PG-13, but in my opinion, too much
suspense and too many scary parts make it unsuitable for younger kids. As a
fiction writer and avid movie fan, I saw most of the scary scenes coming and
warned my kids to cover their eyes, but two teen boys next to me jumped from
fright quite a few times.
Some claim that Brad Pitt has lost his charm, but I don’t
feel that way. I loved him in this role, playing a caring father and
experienced UN field scientist. Actually, I can’t remember any other disaster
movie where the leading scientist cared more about his/her family than the
survival of mankind itself. When an epidemic breaks out, infecting everybody
who gets bitten by zombies with a fast spreading virus, the Brad Pitt
character’s number-one priority is getting his family to safety instead of
satisfying his own curiosity by finding the cure. Yet when government officials
corner him and force him to face the facts that only those people are going to
be saved who serve a purpose, he steps up to lead the investigation into the
origin of the breakout and, with that, ensure his own family’s survival.
The investigation takes the audience from the USA to North
Korea to Israel. We meet interesting characters, and learn bits and pieces
about the virus, all parts of a puzzle that won’t be solved by the end of the
movie, leaving open the opportunity for a sequel or sequels. This story has the
potential to grow and branch out. If the
studio comes out with the next installment, I’ll definitely go to see what
happens next.