World War Z

World War Z--By the time this film came along, I was tired of zombie films. I felt the genre had been overdone. I mean, why keep making zombie movies when there is a considerable lack of good werewolf movies out there? Then I saw the trailer and i thought well that might be worth a look. Adding to the hype was all the talk about how horrible the film would be because it was different from the book. I won't discuss the differences too much as i have not yet finished the book. I will say that while I understand the studio feeling a need for a linear story with a single protagonist in order to insure mass appeal, I am not sure I agree with it. Films like Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and Robert Altman's Short Cuts did a wonderful job of stringing together multiple stories into a single narrative. I chose to look at it the way I do comic book films with the book existing in one universe and the film in another. With a team that included J. Michael Straczynski, Damon Lindelof and Drew Goddard handling the adaptation there is little to worry about. World War Z provides a tight story that is as much a mystery as it is suspense or horror. It is not your typical "shoot as many of them as you can before they kill us all" type of zombie movie. If the film itself is not typical then neither are it's main characters. I mean of course the zombies. These undead are not slow or stupid like the zombies we grew up with. Their eyes hold a hint of intelligence almost like a memory of their humanity trying to break through. Brad Pitt provides one of his best performances of recent years and the supporting players are excellent as well. David Morse could have used more screen time in my opinion but I only say that because I am a fan. The film has a great look with some wonderful set pieces. The filmmakers did a terrific job of conveying the look and desperation of a world falling apart. It is hard to admit as a grown man but a couple of times I jumped in my seat. This movie really pulls you in and makes you feel the anxiety, desperation and terror of the characters. In the end though, as much as i liked this movie, I would rather see hollywood turn it's attention to my furry favorite the werewolf and let the zombies rest in peace.