One of the most commercially successful 2013 Hollywood blockbusters was also one with the most troubled of production histories. Spectacular adaptation of Max Brooks' satirical novel about zombie apocalypse became infamous for production problems, resulting in expensive reshootings and bloated 400 million US$ budget. Director Marc Forster ditches original novel's satirical approach and multi-character "oral history" structure and plays it straight as a serious story about zombie apocalypse with conventional single protagonist in the form of UN expert Gerry Lane (played by Brad Pitt). Script further succumbs to convention by having protagonist saving not just the world but also his family. Further disappointment could be found in PG-13 rating, which, together with some poor directing choices, makes zombie violence less convincing than in other films, TV shows or video games. Brad Pitt bravely tries to lift this flawed film from his shoulders, but those efforts, although rewarded by the audience five years ago, aren't enough to raise World War Z above the levels of standard Hollywood disappointments.
RATING: 4/10