Thursday 27 June 2013

Angry Lurker Honest Movie Review 100: World War Z 2013 (4 STARS).

If you're expecting a good zombie flick then this is your movie........


....but do not expect this!



Now I went to see this movie with no real idea of what I was getting other than it was different from the book in a major way in that the zombie apocalypse was been told from the very beginning rather than the point of view of survivors stories like the book!
So I took the attitude that this would be a big budget zombie apocalypse movie and hopefully it would be good, it was........
It has great set pieces, great "if this was real I would be fecked scenes", loads of zombies, a few scares and the ending which is different from the original (hence the Russian picture at the top), the original ending was considered too bleak? Here's a link if you want to know what the original ending was but should only be read if you've seen the movie. It's a movie about Pitt trying to find an answer to the disease, he travels from South Korea to Israel and finally to Wales but among many highlights is the zombie attack on Jerusalem.......outstanding as seen below!



What this movie shows is a lot of what we know, sound attracts, they're too fast and the virus (Mother Nature) and it's quest to spread it's disease and how if you're not prepared like a Doomsday Prepper or essential to the cause....you're fecked!

It has it's faults, it's a little disjointed, it's not what we expected and all over the place at times, a little implausible but then it's a zombie movie but as entertainment it's bloody good and there's talk of a sequel too!

82 comments:

  1. Too many films on my hit list at the moment...I want to see this and Man of Steel and the list goes on and on... Guess this is a DVD purchase for later in the year.

    BTW bought Dredd on the strength of your review and it's a damn fine movie. Loved it.

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    1. Such a good movie compared to the Stallone rubbish!

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    2. Not gong to comment on this Z thing as I havent read the book, nor will see movie, zombies arent really my thing unless its a gothic horror setting...

      Thought I'd mention Dredd - watched it the other night... Not bad, but not great... I actually rather enjoyed the Stallone one - for me it matched more the comics I read and enjoyed as a kid, the costumes, setting, the Bikes etc etc, and the story wasnt bad with a nod to the Angel gang too... it looked futuristic...

      The new Dredd, while having what might be called, more a grity realism, dissappointed... the only tie ins to the comic were the helmet and gun and the bike, a little bit... the idea of a city thats part post apocalyptic and part futuristic modern, didnt sit right with me... as soon as I saw cars and vans that were from our time here, combined with more modern looking stuff set in the future, I just felt a bit cheated and the whole thing then appeared low budget...

      You pays your money, you takes your chocie, if I had a choice bewteen watching one or the other again - I'd watch the Stallone one, and I could enjoy it with the kids too, family fun... that cant be said of the new Dredd... Each to their own.

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    3. I understand what you're saying but my main problem was Stallone's portrayal and the helmet removal other than that it had the Angel gang, Rico and the SJS, now add Urban and it would have been a different movie.

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  2. Well, I've seen it, and I'd been a bit harsher than you. 3 stars at the most. It's good enough, but not very well cut. I know it's about Brad trying to find a cure, but still, a bit disappointing

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    1. I think they were trying to show panic and chaos even in the editing of the movie?

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  3. Really looking forward to this, it seems to have been a long time coming!

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    1. Delayed heavily due to new endings and other issues!

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  4. I'll wait for the DVD. Yes I like Zombie films and books by Max Brooks. But I fear that Mr Pitt will ruin it for me I would rather some unknown actor got the role. Just like I would have preferred Stallone not to have been the first Dredd!

    Zombie Apocalypse's should be bleak and have a bleak ending. Not some clap hands sing-along feel good shite! Just my opinion and to the film industry not an opinion that matters!

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    1. The ending is a little bleak but nothing compared to the original ending.

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  5. Not a cinema movie for me I think. I'll wait for it to surface on Sky. Thanks for the review Fran.

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  6. I watched it yesterday and can pretty much confirm your point of view.
    I think Pitt did quite well in his role and now I read the original planned ending I'm pretty sad that they changed it.
    BEWARE SPOILERS AHEAD!
    I felt like the ending of the film happened too fast in that WHO building and way too unspectacular. I would have loved to see that moscow fight. Damn that would have been awesome.

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    1. I totally agree Oli, fighting in Moscow would have been cool, I'll take it the deleted scenes will be on the DVD?

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    2. Hopefully!
      Just like the alternate endings from "Stigmata" or "Room 1408" which are a depressing but make the movies far better and completely rounded.

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    3. Here's waiting but you're right!

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  7. I knew you'd enjoy this one Fran and 4 Stars from you doesn't happen often. It's doing well at the box office and usually that's a good indication that a sequel will follow.

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    1. It took half it's budget in the opening weekend so a sequel is guaranteed I believe.

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    2. they did plan it as a trilogy in the early days

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  8. I agree, overall a good film. I did notice a couple of scenarios that copied the book, although not exactly and had been altered or geographically repositioned!
    Also noted a reference to an Indian army general, was this the hero Raj-Sing?
    It's a shame that they did make a film based entirely on the book. As there is just as much tension there. With some fantastic story lines. My favourites being Yonkers, the downed supply pilot and of course the Battle of Hope.
    Although the star of the film would not have had as many lines and central all action hero role and that would never do, now would it?

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  9. Thanks Fran for the review. Confirms I will read the book and catch this one on DVD.

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    1. Watch the movie first and take nothing towards the book then, the book and movie are good on their own.

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  10. Mixed reviews all over the place, but it was a great little movie to watch. The tense and suspense throughout was there when needed. I don't think it was the best, and some points were downright terrible ( viral expert.. who parts containing him ). But in the end, I found it entertaining and would look forward to a sequel to this indeed. Good movie, and the Mrs here had trouble sleeping that night! If that doesn't say something about the movie doing what it should, nothing will ;)

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    1. My other half is the same, needs escorting to the bathroom if she watches a horror movie.

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  11. Sounds like a pretty good movie in a world of bad zombie movies. But I do prefer them to be sluggish and slow so I have a small chance of survival.

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    1. We need slow zombies me and you for any chance mate.

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  12. Never thought it was that good, will have to give it a look

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  13. Overall a tense and entertaining film. It was the least gory zombie film I've ever seen, which felt really odd to me.
    The verdict is the same - during a zombie apocalypse, stay away from Brad Pitt. He's trouble.

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    1. Big time, a lot of people die to protect him!

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  14. For sure it's on my to see list!

    Christopher

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  15. I was actually dreading reviews of this film considering the bad pre-release press it has had. Like all current film though I'll wait for the TV premier or a DVD. No doubt there'll be a directors cut at some point which will sort out some of the editing.
    Thanks for the review.

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  16. On my list, just not a huge fan of Pitt, too bad he didn't get eaten by the zombies.

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  17. Great movie and fantastic special effects .
    Cheer

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  18. the speed of those zombies freaks me out to no extent. I prefer them slow and stupid like in THE WALKING DEAD.
    I guess those few cans of beans and corn I have in my cellar aren't enough for preapocalyptic prepping, and I need more things for the doomsday!

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  19. Ah, thats good news. Im with Dezmond - I dont like the fast zombies - but Im glad the movie is good. Ill have to check it out.

    Ive heard Man Of Steel being called 'the Man of Suck'....I hope that one is wrong.

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    1. I've heard nothing myself yet but not a massive fan of Superman movies.

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  20. i just don't like zombies... so i will wait.

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  21. I'm not really into zombies, but the cinematography is impressive - so may have to break step and see this. Dean

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  22. I´ve been waiting for this one to come out..Looks great fun. It was dicussed on the Radio a couple of days ago..the comments about it made me laugh "Brad Pitt goes from the exotic Location of Korea...to the exotic Location of Israel and ends up in........................wales "

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  23. I enjoyed it but not as much as the book. And if Brad Pitt was supposed to have been a highly trained UN covert operative then why did he not have the sense to have his phone on vibrate when he was sneaking around in Korea?

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  24. It looks as a very good movie about zombies, and no more. Enough for me!

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  25. You're the second person I've heard give this kind of reaction; solid film, not the book. We'll have to check it out.

    FMB

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  26. Nice review. On my list to see this summer.

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  27. My brother wants to see this but I want to see Now You See Me. We're at an impasse.

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  28. Read the book a while ago. Want to see the film, but waiting for everybody to come up with a date/time is like waiting for bloody planets to align with Uranus! Probably go to see it on my own.

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  29. I loved the book and I loved the movie, but like you once I heard they were not the same I treated the movie as such. It was a good zombie movie for sure. I know some of my friends were disappointed because it wasn't the book but after we discussed it they were all pretty much of the mind, "Yeah, not the book but still fun to watch!"

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  30. Personally I can't get on board with the film because it feels to me like Pitt bought the rights to World War Z with no intention of making use of the content of that book. I'm not saying its a bad "film" but I think its about as far from the book as he could get, which just makes me think the whole thing is an expensive wasted opportunity. And now as Pitt has the rights to the book no one else can make a proper film of the book. Sad Face.

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  31. I watched Warm Bodies last night, a quirky zombie love story that's worth seeing. Based on your review, I want to read this one and watch the movie. Thanks Fran!

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    1. I've been thinking about Warm Bodies, will have to find and watch it.

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  32. I was told as long as I hadn't read the book, I'd like it. I'm just not gonna read the book.

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  33. Start with the movie and then the book!

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  34. Now I'm not even sure if I want to see it. I was certain they'd include the battle at Yonkers in the movie. I'm disappointed they didn't. Boo Hiss!!

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    1. Have to agree, Yonkers was the stand out chapter in the book, once I completed it, I immediately re-read it; real shame it didn't make the film :-(

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  35. Great review, Fran - loved the book, realise this is different, but will drag the little woman along to see it next week ;)

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  36. I'm glad to say I enjoyed the movie for what it was a big budget zombie romp, good fun and a good stand alone zombie movie. I would love to see the book as a series but I fear it is just to bleak.

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    1. It wasn't bad, just an account of the aftermath of the zombie plague.

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