The movie is based on the world created by author Max Brooks in the zombie apocalyptic novel World War Z, an oral history of the Zombie wars.

Rating: 7/10 (30 June 2013)

The movie is based on the world created by author Max Brooks in the zombie apocalyptic novel World War Z, an oral history of the Zombie wars. Unlike the book which follows multiple story lines into longer time frame into the aftermath, the movie focus on the initial outbreak and follows a retired UN field investigator, now a family man played by Brad Pitt surviving the fall of New York city, who is then forced back into action to keep his family in the secure zone. Pitt is flown with the team in search of patient zero and the origins of the pandemic presumably caused by a virus. The movie is fast paced through out the two hours and holds back on the gore for a PG-13 rating. The movie is much like other zombie apocalyptic movies like 28 days later or contagion.
The zombies in the movie are fast agile capable. Some set Zombie masses swarming was excellent. Even so the zombies had a comedic look to them too, with the high pitched sounds they make to the funny facial expressions.There were some tragic but ironic scenes were we laughed, and other were we were on the edge. The movie had very few emotional scenes and frankly had zero emotional impact.
Further on Pitt's character later discovers that N.Korea and Israel is the only two countries effectively dealing with the pandemic. N.Korea by removing the teeth of all the healthy, the virus spreads through the bite of the infected into the blood stream. More interestingly Israel survives by building walls throughout its borders and keeping the infected mass of zombies at bay. It seems Israel had prior knowledge and acted on it. The novel by Brooks has a underlying theme dealing with American ignorance of foreign geo-politics outside north America, in the movies Israel building a wall and winning it is only were the movie deals with the theme. Even today Israel has extensive walls and fences running through a large part of their borders.
In the movie after being infected it took just 12 seconds for the virus to take over and person to change into a zombie a bit questionable. Finally Pitt's character discovers a work around, a camouflage from the infected. When infected with anther deadly microbe the infected Zombies somehow detect this from a distance and altogether avoid the person and with no explanation given in the movies, I found myself questioning the science.
Finally the movie ends with its just the beginning, so it's highly likely there might be a sequel. All in all an enjoyable flick produced for mass appeal has a blockbuster feel to the movie. For me after reading a bit about the book now I'm more interested in the book.