Max Brooks World War Z is a collection of stories regarding the titular 'World War Z'. Dozens of viewpoints and different stories combining to make an interesting read. Viewing Ridge War Z, it feels very much as if watching one of those very stories. There's no singular protagonist, no jet-setting, no over-the- top action sequences, nothing in fact that made the 190 million Brad Pitt film excruciating to watch.
Anyone looking for a zombie killing gore fest is in for a major disappointment. The film is a drama, focusing on its characters, a very good decision regarding the low budget which might have seen us subjected to terrible grey makeup and bright red blood. (I'm certainly not taking a dig at the original Dawn of the Dead film! Don't think that for a minute) The zombies themselves don't appear on screen until an hour in, though they do attack (unseen) fifteen minutes earlier than that. This film is not about zombie killing; it's about the people doing the killing. Regarding acting, excellent although sometimes uneven, particularly when the scene requires anger but overall a good performance.
The dialogue which might be considered lacking in quality actually makes for a greater sense of reality; they sound like soldiers because they sound like ordinary guys rather than the polished, 'what we would like to think they're like' model prone to patriotic or anti-war monologues that Hollywood has subjected us to for years,
Once again, the focus on the characters and the scenes of the narrator typing their story is what makes it excellent viewing. Some may find the narration annoying but the narrator is the outsider, like the audience, looking in on the soldiers from the outside and trying to understand their experience and do it justice with the written word. Moments where he looks at what he has typed and wonders whether it's good enough naturally makes you think about the many civilian attempts to recount wars and their frequent failure to get it right.
If low-budget SFX (I didn't mind, how a muzzle flash looks doesn't affect the telling of the story) non-million-dollar-pay-cheque acting and a lack of gore annoys you, then you will not like this film. If you're looking for a story that would fit neatly into Max Brooks World War Z,you've found it. If you just want an interesting take on the Zombie Genre, here it is.
8.5 out of 10
Anyone looking for a zombie killing gore fest is in for a major disappointment. The film is a drama, focusing on its characters, a very good decision regarding the low budget which might have seen us subjected to terrible grey makeup and bright red blood. (I'm certainly not taking a dig at the original Dawn of the Dead film! Don't think that for a minute) The zombies themselves don't appear on screen until an hour in, though they do attack (unseen) fifteen minutes earlier than that. This film is not about zombie killing; it's about the people doing the killing. Regarding acting, excellent although sometimes uneven, particularly when the scene requires anger but overall a good performance.
The dialogue which might be considered lacking in quality actually makes for a greater sense of reality; they sound like soldiers because they sound like ordinary guys rather than the polished, 'what we would like to think they're like' model prone to patriotic or anti-war monologues that Hollywood has subjected us to for years,
Once again, the focus on the characters and the scenes of the narrator typing their story is what makes it excellent viewing. Some may find the narration annoying but the narrator is the outsider, like the audience, looking in on the soldiers from the outside and trying to understand their experience and do it justice with the written word. Moments where he looks at what he has typed and wonders whether it's good enough naturally makes you think about the many civilian attempts to recount wars and their frequent failure to get it right.
If low-budget SFX (I didn't mind, how a muzzle flash looks doesn't affect the telling of the story) non-million-dollar-pay-cheque acting and a lack of gore annoys you, then you will not like this film. If you're looking for a story that would fit neatly into Max Brooks World War Z,you've found it. If you just want an interesting take on the Zombie Genre, here it is.
8.5 out of 10