Against All Odds

Rating: 8/10 (23 June 2013)

Severe deviation from the source material? Check. Production problems and reshoots? Check. A zombie movie with a PG-13 rating !? Check. With all these "issues" I was ready to swear off the movie completely, but curiosity got the better of me and I'm glad it did because World War Z is a movie that certainly shouldn't work, yet it does.
As a fan of the book (I read it 4 years ago) I went into the film knowing that the script contained a cohesive story built around one character. Certain detractors of the film may dislike it solely for this reason because it is so different from the book. I would urge them to consider them as two separate entities. Once that is accepted, the film can be a pleasant surprise.
Let's be honest, in the last 5 years film has become over saturated with zombies. So the makers of this film made some wise decisions intending to set their film apart. I'll admit I'm more of a traditionalist (slow moving zombies), but I like when film makers take risks at a new approach. The fast zombies in this film often use coordinated attacks,swarming like insects and that is something to ponder as well as visually behold. The film has a breakneck pace, with intense sequences...and it really has the feel of a global epidemic since it takes place in various locales around the world. I knew I wasn't the only one in the audience on the edge of my seat, as many times during this film I heard the rest of the audience let out a collective sigh of relief. By presenting zombies as a global problem in the first stages, it is a breathe of fresh air compared to the standard "few survivors vs thousands of undead" in a secluded fortress scenario. The film feels more like a political thriller than a zombie film, which belief me actually works to its benefit.
Lastly, one gripe I have heard about the movie is a lack of character development. I agree, but I think character development would actually detract from the film. How many times in horror movies are supporting characters only there to serve the purpose of cannon fodder? Also, often times side characters are given moments to make a poignant speech before being killed off, which is a ploy by screenwriters to generate emotion from the audience. You'll see no such tricks here characters come and go, and we are often left to wonder about their fate. The film's frantic pace and lack of clichés really make it a surprising treat. 8/10