Around 3:30 last Saturday afternoon the theater was packed. This was an unexpected twist in the events in my day because 1) It's matinee. 2) It's matinee.After buying my ticket and Zap Pack (i'm trying to lose weight while still being addicted to popcorn), I settled into some average but pretty good seats to wait for two friends of mine. The theater continued to fill up with people. I began to worry. Which I know is completely unreasonable but it was my first reaction so I went with it. I did that thing where you try to subtly look at your ticket to make sure you're in the right place without letting the people around you know that you are feeling like an idiot. (Example: First day of school. You check the schedule after sitting there for 10 minutes. Someone always gets up to leave. Everyone knows what's up.)
Nope. Right place. Right movie.
So what the heck are so many people doing here on a Saturday afternoon? I began to anxiously squirm in my seat as a group of 10 people filtered in looking for a seat (I realize writing this that I may have developed some kind of phobia unbeknownst to myself). Just as I was about to scream and run out of the theater, one of my friends rounded the corner. A rush of relief passed over me as I no longer had to worry about having to fight all of 10 of those people who may or may not have tried to sit anywhere near me. It was good to see someone who was just as stoked about this movie as I am. Side note: Every Sunday night we can be found watching & discussing The Walking Dead like cool kids do. In my head, no one else does this, making us the coolest of the cool kids. But in reality, there are so many others around the country who abide by the same weekly ritual....and as my friend rounded the corner and gallantly fought his way through the intense crowds to get to the seat next to me (i.e. already seated people who politely moved their feet) it finally hit me. As if I had unlocked a secret of the universe.
These people love zombie stuff too.
World War Z comes along at the height of the world's Zombie obsession. What is it with our fascination with our possible demise anyway? Why do we love stories that carry a sense of impending doom? The fight for survival? Unity? Or is it just cool to imagine being dirty and tough. Honestly, I think it's pretty weird. But I'm one of those people. I haven't read the book but after seeing the film, I am hold #114 out of 114 at the library. The film wastes no time getting to the plot but spends enough time focusing on the beautiful Brad Pitt and his family of females get ready the morning to give us an idea of how close and adorable they are. It also sheds a bit of light on what is at stake, for this family and others alike. Unlike the "28" franchise, World War Z is told from a global perspective. Brad Pitt's character is a former UN investigator who is called back into duty to track what they have no idea they are tracking and develop a cure for what they have no idea needs curing. Undoubtedly, some may have rolled they're eyes due to Pitt's real life background and fiancee being a known UN Goodwill Ambassador, but I loved this detail to the story. It totally allows it to be told as a mystery with a horror element. Not the other way around. It gives much needed depth to his character, instead of leaving audiences to think "So I am supposed to believe that this average Joe is just that smart? Since it's Brad Pitt..." I hate when movies shove all of that responsibility on the actor's popularity. Luckily, I didn't get that vibe. World War Z is a fast paced trek around the globe in an attempted to save humanity. Seriously, the zombies are not your average "walkers." They have intense speed and strength. And they turn in seconds. None of that waiting around shenanigans. In this world, Andrea would have had NO time to hover over Amy's body the whole episode! And they are super distracted by sound. So if you come across one...tip-toe, that's all I'm sayin. AND DO NOT SING. It has it's gory and its intense will they make it? ahhhhh willl that guy die? moments. (for those of you who have seen it, the cell phone moment....whaaaat? Just stop calling girl! He's busy!) It's strategic in its storytelling and the UN element gives it a zombie flick for intellectuals feel to it.
Overall, it's a good film. It's worth the time and theater experience. My only real criticism is the ending, which apparently was re-shot because Brad Pitt thought it was "atrocious." So it could have been worse. But maybe we can talk about it after you've seen it.
No comments:
Post a Comment