World War Z (2013)

Yup ... I'm late again. I'm in general late these days ... But I'm trying to save the last week's entry with "World War Z". I think I wrote a bit about zombie movies before, so I won't dissect the full topic again. Since Romero's "of the Dead" series, it's a subject that has been used many times, covering the full range in the movies market - from very bad to very good. The last one I've seen: "Warm Bodies" was unfortunately at the bottom of the list, so bad that contributed on postponing watching "WWZ". I don't know why, but at the time seeing Brad Pitt in a zombie movie main cast didn't inspire more trust than the undead romantic comedy I had have seen. Well, in the end I gave a chance to "WWZ", and it's not that bad ...

I think it's really hard to pull off an original subject for a movie in this genre. In the end, it's still the classic recipe the one that seems to be more catchy to the public = we have a group of survivors trying hard to stay alive and if possible find a cure. This worked perfectly in "28 Days Later", "I am Legend" and even in the "Dawn of the Dead" remake. And seems to work too in "WWZ", although there are some level differences. The movie sticks to the base idea and keeps a classic dystopian atmosphere, with some life drama in it. The context: a worldwide zombie epidemics ( the standard recipe = you're getting bitten, you transform and you never find eternal peace unless somebody is merciful enough to pass a bullet through your head ). In this context, an UN employee (Brad Pitt), with some field experience in conflict areas, is sent to investigate the possibility of a cure, in exchange for his family being kept under protection on a US Navy ship. One of the nicest parts of the movie which adds a lot to the cinematic experience is that the mission starts on American soil, and gets through Korea, Israel and finally UK. Even if a bit far fetched here and there ( a bit more in the Israel part ... ), all this traveling is a variation from the classic setting where the survivors are typically by foot and within a limited area of movement + it also adds to the impression of a global disaster. I won't get into spoilers about "the hunt 4 the cure", but the idea and the way it develops seemed rather original.

What "WWZ" also has in common with the the other titles above is .. how to say .. a warm feeling that gives a bit of hope for a better world, which is subtly induced somewhere behind and in opposition to the bloody cold terror. You know that despite the chances it seems to have, finally, somehow, the humanity prevails. .. The costs paid vary from movie to movie :) As a light spoiler I can say that in "WWZ" that's probably the problem, and specifically that the "happy-end" seems a bit too "happy". As strong I've been touched by the last zombie attack towards the main character (the scene is epic, both what you see and the symbolism behind), as disappointed I've been by the simplified outcome in the end. I guess it's one of the few cases when I would've preferred more tragedy. But well, a high budget movie has to target as many people as possible and you can feel the "Hollywood superproduction" in there (with all its evils). In any case ...

Rating: 4 out of 5 (at the limit)