Movie Review: "World War Z"

Zombies are once again back on the big screen courtesy of  Paramount Picture's "World War Z."

Brad Pitt stars in "World War Z" (or as I like to call it "The Running Dead") as a retired United Nations  employee who is called back into duty when a Zombie-creating virus attacks the entire planet.  Unlike other zombie flicks, this virus is fast acting and turns the living into the walking dead in about 12 seconds making it almost impossible to kill the species.  It is up to Pitt's Gerry Lane to find a cure and stop the ever increasing brood before mankind ceases to exist.

There is very little set-up to this film.  One minute Gerry is having breakfast with his two daughters and wife Karin, played by Mireille Enos (The Killing), and the next minute it's pandemonium in the city streets below.  For a summer movie the pacing is perfect!  We all know what zombies do and what they look like so it's to the filmmakers credit that the movie gets the audience into the action immediately.  The action set pieces are thrilling and the close quarters zombie attacks are suspenseful.  When Pitt is trapped in a lab with hundreds of flesh eaters I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens.

Much has been written about the movie using Max Brooks' book title without using anything from the book itself.  As someone who hasn't read the best seller I was fine with that because the movie works on its own to create a fun viewing experience.

A movie about zombies would normally garner an R rating while the PG-13 rated "World War Z" leans more on action and suspense rather than bloody gore.  You will most definitely find more graphic intestine-eating blood and guts in one episode of AMC's "The Walking Dead" than you will in this entire film.  It barely exists and wasn't needed or missed.

"World War Z" isn't the best of the summer blockbusters, but if you've already seen "Star Trek Into Darkness" and "Iron Man 3" then this will totally fulfill your "popcorn movie" agenda.


Drumroll please... 7 out of 10 drumsticks!!!