Pleasantly Surprised

Rating: 7/10 (30 October 2013)

Since yours truly is all about giving the fans what they want, I'll split this review in order to satisfy the only 2 demographics which exist in the world of entertainment: Those who "like zombies" and those who do not.
Where I fall is irrelevant, and did not influence my review of this film.
Pitt plays Gerry Lane, a former investigator for the United Nations. He's preparing to be sent to some of most undesirable places on Earth to investigate war crime, find out who's stealing humanitarian shipments, and validate/refute claims of genocide. But, while living with his family in Philadelphia, he is called back into service when a "zombie apocalypse" occurs. In order to work up a vaccine for pathogen, Gerry is tasked with tracking down "patient zero," the original host of whatever creepy crawly causes people to lose skin pigment, cognitive abilities, speech and their sense of humor.
Zombie Fans
I'm pretty sure you will enjoy the movie a great deal.
Where it works : Pacing - This movie starts very quickly, 3-4 minutes after credits finish, you start to see the beginnings of very bad things happening in the "City of Brotherly Love" (along with EVERYWHERE ELSE). Rarely does it slow down from there. When it does, you just catch your breath and it's off and running again. Effects - Top notch CGI equate to some very original and memorable images/scenes. The makeup and zombie effects are nothing new (more on that in a moment), but there are a lot of wide "big picture" or wide angle shots which made my jaw drop. Originality - This film was based on what is purported to be a very good novel by Max Brooks. One person I talked to was upset about the film version, saying it was abysmal compared to the novel. That's not a shock. But the speed & agility with which the zombies move and the "resolve" they use to overcome obstacles is nothing I remember seeing before. Where it doesn't work : Gore (or lack thereof) - This is an assumption, but if you are into zombies, you may find this movie a little too sanitary for your taste. It's PG-13, which means that you will find more blood & guts in almost any episode of "The Walking Dead" than you will in this film. Standard makeup: veiny, skinny zombies with bad teeth. Story - No spoilers here, this film doesn't present you with the nice clean time-line most films do. Be prepared to have lingering questions.
Un-dead ? Ain't nobody got time for that
If you enjoy action/suspense....give it a shot. I think you'll be glad you did.
Where it works : Pacing - This is an exciting movie. It's starts quickly and really does keep genuine tension very tight through the length of the film. Just pretend the zombies are terrorists or bad guys if it helps you with suspension of disbelief. Performances - Everyone in this film is wholly believable in their roles, from Pitt on through to the supporting cast. There's not a great deal of "star power" but it does feature solid actors and actresses who take the story seriously and turn out a movie no one should be ashamed of. Story - There is a "solution" to the zombie problem offered in the film which I found very intriguing and original. Where it doesn't work : Characters - They are a little flat. This may have come from condensing the story from novel to film, which often leads to the removal of most character development in favor of action/events (see 90 % of films adapted from a story or novel by Stephen King). The usual nagging questions - How can zombies move without heartbeat? How do they can keep going so long without rest? Why do they all vote for the same party? (sorry, got a little carried away with that one). All I can say is fish gotta swim, zombies gotta roam.
In the end, I wish I had seen it on the big screen and my wife liked it as well.
My rating: 7.5 out of 10 (very good)