World War Z (2013)

Former United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop a zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatens to destroy humanity itself.

Director:

Marc Forster

Writers:

Matthew Michael Carnahan (screenplay), Drew Goddard (screenplay)

Stars:

Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz

3 wins & 24 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brad Pitt	...	Gerry Lane
Mireille Enos	...	Karin Lane
Daniella Kertesz	...	Segen
James Badge Dale	...	Captain Speke
Ludi Boeken	...	Jurgen Warmbrunn
Matthew Fox	...	Parajumper
Fana Mokoena	...	Thierry Umutoni
David Morse	...	Ex-CIA Agent
Elyes Gabel	...	Andrew Fassbach
Peter Capaldi	...	W.H.O. Doctor
Pierfrancesco Favino	...	W.H.O. Doctor
Ruth Negga	...	W.H.O. Doctor
Moritz Bleibtreu	...	W.H.O. Doctor
Sterling Jerins	...	Constance Lane
Abigail Hargrove	...	Rachel Lane

Storyline

Life for former United Nations investigator Gerry Lane and his family seems content. Suddenly, the world is plagued by a mysterious infection turning whole human populations into rampaging mindless zombies. After barely escaping the chaos, Lane is persuaded to go on a mission to investigate this disease. What follows is a perilous trek around the world where Lane must brave horrific dangers and long odds to find answers before human civilization falls.

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Plot Keywords:

nova scotia | palestine | zombie | walled city | severed arm | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense frightening zombie sequences, violence and disturbing images

Did You Know?

Trivia

Marc Forster and J. Michael Straczynski clashed throughout the writing process. Forster wanted to focus on the action, which Straczynski felt detracted from the story's main themes; he was more interested in remaining faithful to the book, focusing on the characters and the global reaction to the Zombie Apocalypse. Straczynski was eventually fired and replaced with Matthew Michael Carnahan, who made the film an action-adventure focused on a UN field specialist named Gerry Lane, dropping the book's first-person accounts. Brad Pitt had already been cast as Gerry before any script was written; in fact, Pitt had read the book and obtained the rights to it, and approached Forster about a possible adaptation.

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Goofs

After the family reaches the apartment and everyone is listening to the radio, the light is clearly on in the fish tank even with the power out.

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Quotes

Thierry Umutoni: [giving Gerry an update from Washington DC] The president is dead. So are four of six joint chiefs. The VP is missing. Reports of gunbattles in the streets of the capital.

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Crazy Credits

The ending Paramount logo is shown in the same dark blueish color from the opening logos.

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Alternate Versions

An unrated cut released on home video adds almost seven minutes of additional action and some alternate/re-edited shots.

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Connections

Featured in T00nVision: Best & Worst Horror Films (2016)

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Soundtracks

Go
Written & Performed by Kari Kimmel
Courtesy of Rykim Records

User Reviews

Zombie blockbuster for a generic audience

I haven't read the book so I'm not coming from viewing this as an adaptation but rather a stand-alone film. (From what I've heard it's pretty far from the original source anyway.) First off, a zombie film watered-down and free from blood and gore? That idea alone would lose a big slice (pun-intended) of hardcore fans in the audience. How does it hold your attention then? By stringing you along on the edge with tension and suspense from beginning to end. It does a pretty good job of maintaining this grip even without the standard horror elements of slasher flicks.

Brad Pitt easily slips into the role of a family man desperate to keep his family safe. It's not difficult to root for him and share in his urgency. His charm certainly makes up for and saves the movie from its flaws (and there are many!) not the least of which are its gaping plot holes and loose direction.

The audience in the theater seemed to have fun screaming along and allowing themselves to be entertained and toyed with. There are a handful of funny scenes (whether intentional or not). If you're willing to quit analyzing the movie like a critic, you'll probably start enjoying it.

After all, when did a zombie movie ever have to be "BELIEVABLE"?

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA UK Malta

Language:

English Spanish Hebrew Arabic

Release Date:

21 June 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

World War Z

Filming Locations:

Lulworth Cove, Weymouth, Dorset, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$190,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$66,411,834, 23 June 2013

Gross USA:

$202,359,711

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$540,007,876

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Skydance Media, Hemisphere Media Capital

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min 123 min (Unrated Edition)

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Surround 7.1 SDDS Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1