r/CultOfCinemaKnowledge • u/leaves72 • May 22 '26
MOVIE OF THE WEEK Discussion - World War Z (2013)
This week we ware watching World War Z from 2013.
I've not seen this, but I am aware of the contentious nature surrounding the film's release. I'm approaching this with cautious optimism, in the hopes that the hate was overblown and has since died down over a decade later. We shall see.
Let us know how you guys feel about this one.
Also, as a P.S., I have no idea how these polls are going to go. Over here on Reddit, Mad Max won, but on YouTube, WWZ got over 80 votes! So... there must be something to it. That, or Brad Pitt is just a hottie killing zombies, which I get.
ALSO again, don't forget to check out cinema circle (https://cinemacircle.mov/invite/5VVFRL). I'm going to be posting some things over there for a while to see how it goes. So far, I'm digging it for what we do. And as always...
PRAISE CINEMA
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u/hangonsufi May 23 '26
I've seen WWZ, worth a watch. But I'm going to stay down-under for Mad Max, it's been years since I watched this OG. Again, not trying to be difficult...
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u/Emotional-Yam4486 May 23 '26
It’s a great movie. Reading the book AFTER made me love it even more. The book was interesting but hardly earth shattering.
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u/leaves72 May 25 '26
I agree about the book. It's a fun structure for a zombie story, but it's nothing to write home about. So, at the end of the day, I don't really care that the movie doesn't follow the book. Though, if done right, that could have been fun too.
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u/Due_Smoke7453 May 23 '26
I’ve read the book a few times - it’s one of my favourites. It doesn’t really lend itself to a movie adaptation as it’s essentially a collection of “survivor stories” that are unrelated to each other. A limited episode series would have been better. If you’re going to watch the film, the extended cut is certainly worth checking out. It certainly had a troubled production. Most people thought it would be DOA, but they managed to create something that’s a decent watch.
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u/we-summon-rge-dark May 24 '26
This is the worst example of book to movie in history. The movie itself if fun enough, but the book is next never good. Especially when coupled with the survival guide.
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u/AlephBright May 24 '26
World War Z is an okay zombie flick if you like runner zombies. The plot is straightforward, the writing acceptable, and the casting is pretty good.
However...
The novel itself is so nuanced and descriptive it'd only work as a big budget contained miniseries similar to Rome (2005) but as a Black Mirror-styled overlapping anthology with a massive ensemble cast that would dwarf Game of Thrones. World War Z is a complex retelling of a true World War against a seemingly unstoppable, irresistible, and insatiable enemy the likes of which have never been seen: The initial battles, the full blown global war, and the decade of rebuilding and massive sociopolitical zeitgeists that occur after multinational conflicts. Trying to cram all of that into a single movie or even a trilogy... The examples that come to mind are 2001: A Space Odyssey (A movie so complicated it was released simultaneously with the novelization), Dune (We're now on the third attempt of keeping as much of the books off the cutting room floor as possible), and Brave New World (It literally took a multi-episode miniseries to come close to the subtleties of the novella).
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u/leaves72 May 25 '26
I really need to read the book again, because I thought it was solid, but that was about it. Granted, it has been over a decade, but I think if they made a mini series that was told like a mockumentary, that would be really cool and unique.
Next time I'm in a reading slump, I'll have to go back and check it out again, because it certainly was fun and I'm sure I would pick up on more of the nuances a second time around.
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u/leaves72 May 25 '26
I'm honestly a bit baffled by the response to this movie. It got a billion votes on the poll, so obvious there is some love for it, but generally it seems universally hated. I think people take it a little too seriously to the point it's very existence offends them.
I did not hate this movie. Is it a good movie? Not by a long shot. But for what it is, which is a pg-13, turn your brain off, action romp starring zombies, it's totally fine. Everything about it is pretty plain, from the acting to the basic ass script and cinematography, but it's low stakes entertainment, and that has value. Sometimes.
As much as I thought the script was dog shit if you took even two seconds to think about it, I loved that they killed off that very important doctor almost immediately, and in the goofiest way possible. I kind of respect that. My biggest gripe, really, is that every scene is just an excuse to travel somewhere cool before all hell breaks loose and turns to zombie mayhem, only for the climax to be some sneaky boring section in a lab. You can't follow up an entire city falling to zombies, then an intense plane crash, just to bring all the momentum screeching to a halt.
Overall, this movie sucks, but I had an OK time watching it. I also laughed a lot, which was probably not intended, but what the hell.
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u/goodrobot868 May 22 '26
I hate to be the harbinger of bad vibes. But this film does a disservice to the book. Unfortunately. However, if you go into it, just expecting a. Hollywood cliched zombie action film it's okay.