Different, disappointing, gritty and grim.

Rating: 6/10 (21 June 2013)

Zombie movies should have gore. Lots of gore. In what seems like a statement of dramatic intent from director Marc Forster, WWZ has very little blood and guts, instead focussing on building tension and presenting a rational view on what it might be like if there ever was a zombie-apocalypse. It's a shame, because there's no reason Forster couldn't have his cake and explode heads all over it too. In an attempt to ground proceedings and maintain a realistically sombre mood, this undead-pandemic yarn is also unrelentingly grim and overly serious, sorely lacking in both humour and action sequences designed to thrill (rather than chill). On a better note, the screenplay, based loosely on Max Brooks' acclaimed novel, emerges as ruthlessly pragmatic - despite having had at least five people work on the script at various stages - and gratefully sets the story in parts of the world rarely seen on the big screen. The hordes of CGI zombies are intriguingly conceived and the cinematography by Ben Seresin is unquestionably the film's greatest asset, whilst Brad Pitt is typically solid and charismatic as the ex-UN investigator who gives the audience a man to cheer for. Disappointingly, WWZ is not the film it should've been, but if you're looking for a gritty, Contagion-esque drama that gets under your skin then it largely succeeds.