World War Z

http://impruvism.com/world-war-z/

It seems the rest of the world has seen this movie (especially all my students). While it took me a while, I finally saw it. 

I stupidly watched it right before I went to bed. 

Me = dumb.

I have totally been avoiding this movie on purpose, because the book by Max Brooks was an amazing trek through terror, and I loved every freakishly terrifying word. The themes of fear and uncertainty, with an emphasis on survival, helped me realize the need for an emergency pack in my bedroom, my car, and the garage, plus an extra gas can, a plan to get out of major city areas, and, finally, to purchase a bat (because that doesn't run out of ammo).

Am I prepared for a zombie apocalypse?  Well, as prepared as anyone can be after reading Brooks' how-to-oral-history, I suppose.

With your knowledge of my slightly strange love/respect/reverence for the book, you may understand why I'm a bit split in regards to my opinion of World War Z, which has practically nothing in common with its namesake. 

So, I decided to write this post in two perspectives: first, as if this were just any other zombie movie, and second, as a zombie movie based on one of the best books ever.

Just a Zombie Movie

If nothing else, this movie is a thrilling zombie flick, with quite a few jump-back-in-your-seat-and-scream moments. I really did enjoy watching it, especially after I decided not to keep a running tally of differences from the book.

I recommend watching it if you're in the mood for an exciting apocalyptic tale, but I do have a few, well, observations.

Spoiler alert!

First of all, the opening credits. Can I just say...Terminator, much? The scrolling letters, the music, it was practically screaming "End of the world! Humanity is doomed! The robots...I mean, zombies are coming!"

Secondly, isn't it convenient for Brad...I mean Gerry and his family that he is so important a helicopter + sharp shooters are sent out to collect them? Sorry everybody else. And I mean EVERYBODY. I guess there wouldn't have been a story otherwise...

Third on my list were the zombie piles. I get the reference to the ants in the opening credits, and it's totally freaky, but I take umbrage when I see a running zombie. It's like seeing a sparkly vampire: wrong, just wrong. 

Next, there is a point made that the zombies will pass over a dying host because they need a healthy body to infest...with the virus of being...the un-dead. Just let that sink in for a second. 

I appreciate the movie trying to bring hope amid a broiling mass of flailing, running and flying zombies, but part of the true terror that creates such zombie fever with fans is that you don't know what spreads the infection. Don't try to science-ify it. Just make them groan, "BRainS!" and we'll be happy. (by the way, this is one of the mistakes I think The Walking Dead TV show made- that whole CDC scene was such a mistake).

Those are all small complaints, and I was freaked out...I mean entertained, by this movie.

World War Z: The Book

http://blog.pshares.org/index.php/book-vs-movie-world-war-z-a-ploughshares-playlist/

Did I mention this movie was NOTHING like the book? 

If Hollywood had just stepped out on a limb and tried to tell the story in a different way than "tough-special-handsome UN investigator must go into the danger zone and save the world, because only he (and his stubble) can do it" plot, then they might have been able to create something unique.

That was half the draw of World War Z: it was such a different take on a story rehashed a hundred times.

If you haven't read the book, you should, and I hear the audio book is really well done too. It follows a UN postwar commission agent trying to discover the cause of the zombie war ten years after the fact by interviewing important survivors: those that might know something or who gave vital contributions to humanity's survival.

Here's what I would have decided to tell the director if I were the Empress of Hollywood: don't hire Brad Pitt.

http://lifetimereadingplan.blogspot.com/2011/02/troy-wars.html

I say that knowing he's the only reason 

I re-watch the massacre that is Troy.

While I hardly believe I typed those words myself, I want you to think about that for a moment. Without his huge 14 million dollar paycheck, just think of all the other actors that could have been hired to actually do the oral history justice. 

For example, how could you abandon such a salty character as Tomonaga Ijiro, a blind, Japanese gardener turned zombie assassin...armed with only a shovel who practically rids the island of Japan of zombies single-shovel-dly?

Or what about fascinating predictions of what countries would fall and which would rise, with North Korea abandoned, its citizens presumed to have retreated to underground bunkers, while Israel closes its borders and pretty much survives the war? (that was hinted at in the movie, but the strangely agile zombies destroyed even that reference)

Or the terrifying prospect of mobs of zombies crawling along the ocean floor, devouring all sea life?

Or, you know, the fact that this was called WORLD War Z, not Brad Pitt saves the World.

(sigh)

Anyhoo, I hear that the powers that be are trying to make this into a trilogy, and with its box office success, that seems to be a real possibility for World War Z. 

I'll probably go see the next installment.

Or maybe I'll wait for the rental, so I can watch it alone, in the dark, right before bed.