Movie Breakdown: World War Z

People are doing traditional-style reviews all over the web, so we decided to try something different.  In each “breakdown” we’ll take a look at what a film’s marketing lead us to believe, how the movie actually played, and then what we learned from it all.  Read on!

The Impression:

Brad Pitt stars in an adaptation of Max Brooks’ famed World War Z.  Early word carries  a “troubled production” tag and hints that the film might be a big mess.

The Reality:

World War Z is actually a fairly solid film.  Sure, it isn’t going to do much for those of you who are big fans of the book, and it’s definitely riddled with a constant stream of convenient plot devices, but it does work as far as zombie-themed summer blockbusters go.  Matinee it at least.  Also, if possible, save a few bucks and avoid the poorly used 3D.

One last note, World War Z does a nifty thing where it works in reverse of the way most big budget flicks do.  Instead of building to some epic climax that blows out your senses by overwhelming them, the film progressively gets smaller and more intimate.  For me, this made every move on the screen seem one that was leading to an actual goal, which kept me engaged in between chaotic zombie moments.

The Lesson:

Always best to actually watch a film before judging it.  Unless it’s something like Beverly Hills Chihuahua, of course.  Fuck that.