World War Z - Book Review

[Peregrine]

So I was looking for an audiobook to listen to on my iPod on a long car trip, and I ended up checking the Amazon.com editor's list of the 50 best books of last year, I saw a really neat looking one, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, by Max Brooks. I bought it on Audible and listened to it this weekend. All I can say is wow!

The book is basically formatted as the stories of various survivors of a fictional all-out war with the living dead, in the format of other oral history books you may have read that document the German, or American, or Japanese sides of WW2, basically people tell their experiences, some of them are important like generals or government officials, many are just regular people. It's really important to know going in that this is not played for comedy like, "We got a bunch of friends and guns and headed for a shopping mall!" It's not a Romero rip-off. Many of the stories are gripping and to be honest moving, real experiences. This is helped a lot in the audiobook version by there being a full cast, each story is told with appropriate accents and really brings a lot of realism to the book. On the down side, the audiobook is abridged, so I'm going to pick up a copy of the book to see what I missed!

The zombies in the book are simple, they're undead, trying to eat the living, and can only be killed by decapitation or a bullet through the brain. If you're bitten by a zombie, you are sick for a few days then die and become a zombie. Some of the best parts of the book are a US soldier talking about how pre-war weapons, no matter how powerful and technically sophisticated, were basically useless, most of them were based on either techniques that didn't hurt the zombies (mines blowing off feet, artillery shell concussion killing people) and that the general idea of making your opponent fear you through some kind of "shock and awe" doesn't work when your opponent doesn't feel fear. These were some of the reasons that the zombies almost won.

Overall, I loved this book, it was really well done and focused on the action all over the world with a lot of interesting survivors of the war. It did stoop to some cheap shots at the current administration, talking about war weariness and military over-use from Iraq being a reason why the US didn't take the fight to the zombies at first, but ignoring that it's a great, entertaining read, especially if you're interested in zombies.

[sabotai]

I read this book last summer and really loved it.

Yeah, he does take shots at the administration, but he also takes shots at the media as well so it's pretty even handed. Also consider that everything is said from the perspective of a character. It would be pretty unrealistic for some people to not blame the government or some people not blaming the media or pointing out the short comings of either.

Definately recommend this book. I'll probably give it another read soon. One of the best books I've read in years.

[Antmeister]

Thanks Peregrine for the review. I am not sure to go for a non-abridged version of the audiobook (if there is one) or just read the novel. The way you described the audiobook sounds much more appealing at this point and it would be neat to listen on one of those long distance trips. This book sounds cool because it is alternative history with a horror slant.

[Peregrine]

Thanks Peregrine for the review. I am not sure to go for a non-abridged version of the audiobook (if there is one) or just read the novel. The way you described the audiobook sounds much more appealing at this point and it would be neat to listen on one of those long distance trips. This book sounds cool because it is alternative history with a horror slant.

I think there are unabridged versions in audiobook format but they are CDs you have to order, I picked up the MP3 version which is abridged because you can download it immediately. The cast was really good, Alan Alda, Mark Hamill, John Turturro, Rob Reiner, etc.

[Swaggs]

I found this kind of interesting: Max Brooks is Mel Brooks and Anne "Mrs. Robinson" Bancroft's son.

[KWhit]

The audiobook was outstanding. I listened to the abridged version from Audible. I wish they had the unabridged version available, but I didn't feel like I was missing part of the story.

The way the audiobook was cast truly made the characters come alive. These are outstanding actors at the top of their games on this one.

The writing is great, but I'd recommend going for the audiobook. It was very well done.

[KWhit]

Dola-

The only thing I would add is that the abridged audiobook is just too short! Only about 6 hours. I wanted it to go on and on.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I'm in the midst of reading this book now. Great stuff for any zombie enthusiast.

I definitely like his portrayal of the undead. It's how they're supposed to be. The moment zombies start either running/jumping (e.g., Dawn of the Dead re-make) or "thinking" ("Land of the Dead") it's pretty much game over.

[Raiders Army]

I thought the book was somewhat meh. I much preferred Monster Island by David Wellington. I mean, I thought it was okay but about two-thirds of the way through the book the "hook" of the book lost its appeal. It was interesting to see a story unfold through articles and not the traditional narrative initially but it got old about two-thirds of the way into it. That being said, there are very few zombie novels out there.

[Desnudo]

So, where do you go, if not to a shopping mall?

[Raiders Army]

A prison

[Qwikshot]

I would go to work...fully enclosed pharmaceutical company...

[sachmo71]

Max Brooks also wrote "The Zombie Survival Guide"...anyone pick this one up?
I remember seeing it, and laughing about it, but I never heard much about it.


http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Survival-Guide-Max-Brooks/dp/071563318X/sr=8-2/qid=1171916031/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-1023834-3849565?ie=UTF8&s=books

[sachmo71]

I thought the book was somewhat meh. I much preferred Monster Island by David Wellington. I mean, I thought it was okay but about two-thirds of the way through the book the "hook" of the book lost its appeal. It was interesting to see a story unfold through articles and not the traditional narrative initially but it got old about two-thirds of the way into it. That being said, there are very few zombie novels out there.

Seems he has another out, called Monster Nation.

http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Nation-Zombie-David-Wellington/dp/1560258667/sr=1-2/qid=1171916117/ref=sr_1_2/104-1023834-3849565?ie=UTF8&s=books

[Honolulu_Blue]

Max Brooks also wrote "The Zombie Survival Guide"...anyone pick this one up?
I remember seeing it, and laughing about it, but I never heard much about it.


http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-Survival-Guide-Max-Brooks/dp/071563318X/sr=8-2/qid=1171916031/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-1023834-3849565?ie=UTF8&s=books

I bought it. I liked it. Then again, I am a sucker for all things zombie (so long as it's done "right").

[Raiders Army]

Seems he has another out, called Monster Nation.

http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Nation-Zombie-David-Wellington/dp/1560258667/sr=1-2/qid=1171916117/ref=sr_1_2/104-1023834-3849565?ie=UTF8&s=books

Have it and am reading it right now, in-between other books. Monster Planet is supposedly his third book in the series. Monster Island was a serialized novel published on the web: http://www.brokentype.com/monster/.

The book has extra chapters that the website does not.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I finally finished "World War Z" on the way to Washington, DC last week. I loved it. Really a great book. I loved the geo-political stuff, the survival stuff, and of course, the zombie stuff. It felt like a very genuine "what if".

In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I bought the audio book when Lady H_B and I were forced to drive back from DC thanks to some bad weather (two days before we left) and computer failures by U.S. Airways. We rented a car and stopped in a Borders outside of Pittsburgh. We bought the audio book and the last 5 hours flew by. Lady H_B even started reading the "interviews" that were left out.

In related news, the movie rights to "World War Z" were recently purchased. I have no idea how they'd make it into a coherent movie (it'd work much better as a TV series), but the idea makes me happy.

[Crim]

The cast was really good, Alan Alda, Mark Hamill, John Turturro, Rob Reiner, etc.


I think I found the "potshots at our current administration" culprit!

[Crim]

I definitely like his portrayal of the undead. It's how they're supposed to be. The moment zombies start either running/jumping (e.g., Dawn of the Dead re-make) or "thinking" ("Land of the Dead") it's pretty much game over.


I found this to be funny. So, umm, HB, how are werewolves supposed to be? Cuz I saw a movie one time and the guy was running on two legs while in wolf form. I saw that and thought, "this is pretty much game over."

:D

[Honolulu_Blue]

I found this to be funny. So, umm, HB, how are werewolves supposed to be? Cuz I saw a movie one time and the guy was running on two legs while in wolf form. I saw that and thought, "this is pretty much game over."

:D

I don't have strong views on how werewolves are supposed to be. I'm pretty flexible on matter. I am cool with a biped werewolf or the full-blown four-legged variety. I am cool with a werewolf only changing on the full moon or a werewolf being able to change at will.

Zombies, on the other hand, are a different matter. I have strong views on the topic and there is definitely a "right" and a "wrong" way to portray zombies. "World War Z" did it the right way.

[Honolulu_Blue]

As most probably know, the movie rights to "World War Z" were scooped up right away by Brad Pitt's production company.

Here's the latest info on the script:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36168 (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/36168)

When Max Brooks published WORLD WAR Z a few years ago, I couldn’t help but notice. It’s a beautifully written book that has a fantastic central conceit, and as much as I loved reading it, I was skeptical about a film adaptation. It seemed like it would probably be an excuse to do a big-budget lowest-common-denominator horror film.

Hats off, then, to the folks at Plan B, which is Brad Pitt’s production company. They were the ones who optioned the novel, and they hired J. Michael Straczynski to adapt it, fresh off his success on THE CHANGELING.

Now, with THE CHANGELING coming out this November as a Clint Eastwood-directed prestige picture, JMS is finally poised for that breakthrough in features that he hasn't had yet. I hear Eastwood’s movie really works.

Now who's going to step up and direct WORLD WAR Z and turn it into the Oscar bait it should be? Peter Jackson? Sam Raimi? This demands a big name who can handle a big picture. This isn’t just a good adaptation of a difficult book... it’s a genre-defining piece of work that could well see us all arguing about whether or not a zombie movie qualifies as “Best Picture” material.

The book is an oral history of the great zombie wars, compiled by a nameless editor as part of a government report. The book is all of his unfiltered data, since much of it was censored from the official report. That’s all the narrative that the book offered, but it was enough for JMS to use, and the result is much sadder than I would have expected. In the first five pages, we see GERRY LANE collecting stories, and the first two interviews are with a flight attendant and a border guard. Both manage to play as horror shock beats, but the way they’re told also sets the tone right away... JMS is after the human truth underneath the horror, and in a way, that makes it much, much harder to take.

The world of the film reminds me of CHILDREN OF MEN on the page. Realistic but set in the near-future, in the aftermath of the zombie wars. We see a flashback to Gerry being given his assignment to write a report about “where the system worked, where it didn’t, how and in what ways the various organizational infrastructures failed.” It’s a politically shitty job because no one wants to know that they were responsible for anything that went wrong. Gerry’s hesitant because it’s going to take at least six months away from his family, just as the world is starting to right itself. He takes the job, and as he travels to his first interview, we see how hard travel has become. I hate going through airport security these days, but at least I don’t have to strip naked and subject myself to a blood test. Yet.

JMS does a great job of etching the details of a world that has already faced its darkest moments and is now trying to put things back in order. His first stop is China, and right away, he can see that it’s not going to be an easy job. His first subject, Dr. Tsai, is supposed to be interviewed through a “translator,” despite the fact that he speaks flawless English.
Tsai’s account of his first encounter with zombies at New Dachang is awful and horrific, and right away, it’s apparent that a combination of bureaucracy and military strategy is responsible for a sort of passive evil, and Tsai feels enormous guilt about it. He leads Gerry to his next interview, which leads him to his next, and one of the things that the script does so well is depict survivors who are starting to wonder if survival is a victory of any kind. There’s a story about black market organs that is just brutal, an off-the-record conversation with a CIA friend, and an insane beach sequence that I can’t wait to see on film. All in the first 50 pages.

Right now, I’m dying to know who’s planning to make this film. I haven’t heard a director’s name attached to it yet, and that astounds me. This was already done, felt like, ready to be filmed, and I’m curious if more work’s been done since this April 2007 draft.

But whatever the case, I love this script. Love every dark, somber, upsetting page of it. This is a horror epic, a serious, sober-minded adult picture waiting to be made, and it’s one of the best pieces of screenwriting craft I’ve encountered in a while. It’s not often I get excited by the actual words on the page as a read, but JMS pulled it off here, and I hope some badass filmmaker steps up to the challenge he laid down in the very, very near future.

[ISiddiqui]

Wow... that sounds great. I like how they keep the whole "Oral History" concept. I was afraid they may have tried to make it more action-y and abandon the fact that people are talking about their experiences.

I just finished reading the book, and I have to say it was one of the most amazing things I've read.

[Kodos]

Just ordered this and the Zombie Survival Guide. I love love love zombies! And I can't even really say why...

Just started reading I Am Legend last night. Great book! Sucks that I have to work today.

[Anthony]

i stayed away from the Survival Guide cuz it seemed too tongue in cheek. WWZ was more of a coherent story.

[bob]

I still think this would have been done better on HBO as a miniseries - like Band of Brothers.

[KWhit]

WWZ was great.

[sterlingice]

I did the audio book on this a while back, thinking it was kindof something mindless and escapist and instead enjoyed it much more as I thought it was basically political commentary and satire wrapped up in a zombie book. Kindof like how "Deep Impact" would have been if it was a book (maybe it is) and had the time to explore, in-depth, how people would have reacted. Or at least make some good guesses and then throw in some fun "in theory" stuff- kindof like a tourney upset bracket where you know you're going out on a limb and they won't all happen but you're hoping against hope that some do.

(note: that's enough little similes for one post...)

The movie is going to be impossible to encompass the depth of the book not because it's a hugely complex great work of literature but because there are some pretty major facets of the book that would each take a couple of hours to delve into. There's the aforementioned political satire along with making it a zombie movie as well as trying to grab the human interest/emotional side, etc- and there's just not enough movie for that.

Also, as an aside, I think this was a book that really lent itself to audio book format and I highly recommend it that way. They have a pretty good voice cast doing all of the characters and the book's content, as it is an oral history, really suits the audiobook format.

SI

[st.cronin]

According to the website, my odds of surviving a zombie apocalypse are 36%.

[JeeberD]

WWZ was great.

Agreed. I read it about a month ago and enjoyed the hell out of it...

[sterlingice]

According to the website, my odds of surviving a zombie apocalypse are 36%.

Mine would not be good but I was surprised it was as high as 31%

Then again, in WWZ, it wasn't exactly a planet-wide apocalypse. More like a large plague.

SI

[Mustang]

World War Z author Max Brooks gave the folks over at MTV Movies a bit of an eye-opener today while sitting down for an early Comic-Con interview. After years of sitting in development hell it seems the adaptation of his best-selling novel will be toplined by none other than Brad Pitt, who's company Plan B purchased the rights back in 2007.


With the A-list star attached, Paramount Pictures is now pushing forward with the project in hopes of having it in theaters by summer 2012. Director Marc Forster is attached to helm from a screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan and J. Michael Straczynski. The studio has likewise grabbed the movie rights to "The Zombie Survival Guide" and "The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks" graphic novel.


Plot Concept: Based on the Max Brooks best-selling novel about a worldwide infestation of flesh-eating zombies, Brooks -- the son of Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft -- wrote a detailed tale in which a researcher for the U.N. Postwar Commission interviews survivors from countries all over the world, 10 years after the crisis, to gather a first-person post-mortem on a war that obliterated every country on the map.

[Sun Tzu]

Best news I've heard since I found out about that AMC Zombie series.

Absolutely awesome.

[JediKooter]

+1000. I'd rather have 100 bad zombie movies than one more fucking Twilight movie.

[Sun Tzu]

Amen brother.

[claphamsa]

+1000. I'd rather have 100 bad zombie movies than one more fucking Twilight movie.
incredible! MG gets banned for posting a Chive pic... and you suggest that there is such ting as a BAD zombie movie... yet you have not been banned yet???????/

WHERE IS THE JUSTICE!

[Sun Tzu]

you suggest that there is such ting as a BAD zombie movie... yet you have not been banned yet???????/

WHERE IS THE JUSTICE!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/23/Return_of_the_living_deadposter.jpg

[Honolulu_Blue]

incredible! MG gets banned for posting a Chive pic... and you suggest that there is such ting as a BAD zombie movie... yet you have not been banned yet???????/

WHERE IS THE JUSTICE!

You want a bad zombie movie? Go see anything Romero's done since "Day of The Dead". Them is some sad, bad zombie movies. Or worse, you can check out that ridiculous "Day of the Dead" re-make or whatever the hell it was (not Snyder's "Dawn of the Dead" re-make, that was awesome).

[JediKooter]

incredible! MG gets banned for posting a Chive pic... and you suggest that there is such ting as a BAD zombie movie... yet you have not been banned yet???????/

WHERE IS THE JUSTICE!

Slight slip of the tongue...er...I mean, fingers on the keyboard.

[Atocep]

World War Z author Max Brooks gave the folks over at MTV Movies a bit of an eye-opener today while sitting down for an early Comic-Con interview. After years of sitting in development hell it seems the adaptation of his best-selling novel will be toplined by none other than Brad Pitt, who's company Plan B purchased the rights back in 2007.


With the A-list star attached, Paramount Pictures is now pushing forward with the project in hopes of having it in theaters by summer 2012. Director Marc Forster is attached to helm from a screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan and J. Michael Straczynski. The studio has likewise grabbed the movie rights to "The Zombie Survival Guide" and "The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks" graphic novel.


Plot Concept: Based on the Max Brooks best-selling novel about a worldwide infestation of flesh-eating zombies, Brooks -- the son of Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft -- wrote a detailed tale in which a researcher for the U.N. Postwar Commission interviews survivors from countries all over the world, 10 years after the crisis, to gather a first-person post-mortem on a war that obliterated every country on the map.


Unfortunately, the movie is shaping up to be nothing like the book.

World War Z movie synopsis is nothing like the book, internet melts down (http://io9.com/5830389/world-war-z-movie-synopsis-is-nothing-like-the-book-internet-melts-down)

[sabotai]

"The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself."

ugh.....

[Atocep]

"The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself."

ugh.....

Yeah, they're pretty much turning it into every other zombie movie out there.

[sabotai]

Wow... that sounds great. I like how they keep the whole "Oral History" concept. I was afraid they may have tried to make it more action-y and abandon the fact that people are talking about their experiences.

So much for that....

[Ryan S]

Strange coincidence you should bump this today. Earlier today I passed by signs telling me that parts of the centre of Glasgow will be shut down next week for the filming of this movie. The poster warns that there may be car crashes and explosions...

Apparently Glasgow is going to double as Philadelphia.

[TheFoosballWizard]

I read this one a few weeks ago. It's definitely a fun read, especially if you're into ZAHHHHMBEEEEEZ.

If anyone is looking into getting this book, my review and tons of others are available on GoodReads (http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/179794551).

[Honolulu_Blue]

Based on some odd footage taken from the shooting of this film appears as if they are veering further away from the source material in two significant ways.

1. Fast zombies. Unlike the zombies in the book, which were your tradtional slow, shuffling around Romero zombies, the ones (apparently) shown in the footage run fast like in "28 Days Later" and the "Dawn of the Dead" re-make.

2. You get bit, you turn pretty quickly. We're talking seconds here. This, again, is more similar to how the infection worked in "28 Days Later" than your typical zombie movie.

http://youtu.be/Ma8l5udOlvc

[sabotai]

1. Fast zombies.

They're really trying to have Max Brooks show up and kill everyone involved, aren't they?

[JPhillips]

I wonder how they'll handle the zombie defeat. Watching days of shooting zombies so that they form a giant pile isn't very interesting on film.

[sterlingice]

Sounds like all they did was buy the title to the book

SI

[Honolulu_Blue]

So, I guess the first official trailer for "World War Z" is coming out in a few days. So, of course, there is a preview of the trailer (previews of trailers are so stupid, but, whatever...):

World War Z Trailer, News, Videos, and Reviews | ComingSoon.net (http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=50522)

It looks pretty awful.

The zombies seem to be fast. I don't really mind fast zombies - I loved "28 Days Later" and "The Dawn of the Dead" re-make, both great zombie films - but it really dramatically changes a lot of what happened in the book. It also looks like there is just a ton of horrible zombie-horde CGI going on.

Ah well...

[wade moore]

Hrm, yeah.. I'm usually not very picky about book adaptations, but yeah...

[cschex]

I hope Max Brooks enjoys his fat paycheck and was able to distance himself in all other ways from that, because that looks awful and nothing like that books (as expected)

[Blackadar]

Well, um...shit. I got nothin'.

At least the world will end before it comes out.

[sabotai]

Sounds like all they did was buy the title to the book

SI

Yup....

I'll try to give it a chance when it comes out and forget all about the book, but it seems like an action movie with zombies rather than a zombie movie. That preview looked horrible.

[wishbone]

I bet this will be similar to the "adaptation" of I am Legend. A few key names and places will be faithfully portrayed, the rest pulled out of someone's butt. Those not familiar with the source will think it's ok, anyone who read the book will wonder what happened.

[Mota]

That's insane. There's slow zombies, there's fast zombies, and apparently dying has unlocked the inner physical potential of these bodies as it appears they could outrun Usain Bolt.

Somebody remind the directors that these are dead bodies. The dead start winning the war because: 1) it's hard to kill something that's already dead. 2) they never need to rest and 3) there's a pretty large resupply of new zombies around every corner. It's the wall of flesh that's so powerful in the books, they just keep climbing over each other and eventually the soldiers crumble. If they're movie speed fast, the lines would collapse instantly and that's not really interesting.

Then again, I have NO IDEA how they could try to recreate the book since it's from a million points of view and there's no central character.

[Sun Tzu]

Pardon my language, but...

What the fuck was that?

[gi]

Pardon my language, but...

What the fuck was that?

2nd

[Honolulu_Blue]

Here's the full trailer:

World War Z Official Trailer #1 (2013) [1080p HD] - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH1caNaLxCM)

Not as bad as the preview, but still... Not "World War Z".

[Desnudo]

I gotta say that movie looks awesome. Even if it's nothing like the book.

[claphamsa]

wow.... also i dont like fast zombie movies.

[Honolulu_Blue]

wow.... also i dont like fast zombie movies.

I don't mind fast zombie movies. I really loved both "28 Days Later" and the "Dawn of the Dead" re-make. Two of my favorites.

I also usually give the benefit of the doubt of book adaptations. I try to be pretty forgiving and understanding of changes and alterations, knowing full well that certain things that work on the page don't necessarily translate well on screen and that there are different time and budget considerations and the like.

This movie doesn't really seem to be maintaining much of anything of the source material, beyond the fact that it's about a zombie apocalypse and, unlike most such movies, it doesn't just focus on one small isolated group of survivors but looks at it on a more global scale (apparently).

[Honolulu_Blue]

wow.... also i dont like fast zombie movies.

Then again, there are "fast zombies" and then there is whatever the hell is going on in that trailer.

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

i'm ambivalent about the genre but that looks terrible. also i hope hans zimmer gets royalties for the use of bwwonnnnnnng in trailers

[Sun Tzu]

i hope hans zimmer gets royalties for the use of bwwonnnnnnng in trailers

I immediately thought the same thing.

I watched the full trailer today, and I'm even less interested in the movie now. I stopped watching The Walking Dead because the Zombies started half-jogging, and I have no f'ing clue what is going on in those previews. I know one thing...those aren't zombies by any stretch.

Now, if they present...whatever those are...as "infected" people that became crazy SOB's, then my interest in the movie will likely be renewed.

[stevew]

I don't care about the book and I'm not opposed to fast moving zombies, so that movie looks fucking awesome.

Except that they cast the horrible actress from the Killing as the lead

[DanGarion]

wow.... also i dont like fast zombie movies.

Yeah, real zombies don't run that fast...

[JediKooter]

Yea, they weren't just running fast. They were running like, cheetah fast.

[DanGarion]

I stopped watching The Walking Dead because the Zombies started half-jogging, and I have no f'ing clue what is going on in those previews. I know one thing...those aren't zombies by any stretch.


I know we have had this conversation before, but you are taking one scene out of 2 years of content.

[Sun Tzu]

I know we have had this conversation before, but you are taking one scene out of 2 years of content.

Yeah...maybe you're right. What season was it when that kid got shot by the shotgun, and he was pent up in the farm house?

*Edit* maybe it wasn't a shotgun...but he definitely got shot.

[Sun Tzu]

I think what people here are upset about is this:

They could have called this movie anything...they could have called it "Zombies invade!" or "Attack of the Killer Zombies!" But no. They bought the rights to an absolutely fantastic, ground-breaking novel...arguably the best novel ever written in it's respective genre, and completely butchered it. Now we will never get a film adaptation of World War Z...ever. It's over, and all we have to show for it is this bull crap.

[stevew]

I think what people here are upset about is this:

They could have called this movie anything...they could have called it "Zombies invade!" or "Attack of the Killer Zombies!" But no. They bought the rights to an absolutely fantastic, ground-breaking novel...arguably the best novel ever written in it's respective genre, and completely butchered it. Now we will never get a film adaptation of World War Z...ever. It's over, and all we have to show for it is this bull crap.

It's like when they made that shitty Spiderman3 and we never will get another Spiderman movie.

[Sun Tzu]

It's like when they made that shitty Spiderman3 and we never will get another Spiderman movie.

I think the likelihood of someone making a "The Amazing World War Z" film in 10 years is extremely small.

[DanGarion]

Yeah...maybe you're right. What season was it when that kid got shot by the shotgun, and he was pent up in the farm house?

*Edit* maybe it wasn't a shotgun...but he definitely got shot.

That was season 2, I think the scene you have an issue with was when the Neanderthal and Otis were at the school getting supplies.

[Sun Tzu]

That was season 2, I think the scene you have an issue with was when the Neanderthal and Otis were at the school getting supplies.

That sounds about right. I specifically remember there being a chase scene, and the guys were having trouble outrunning the Zombies.

[DanGarion]

I think what people here are upset about is this:

They could have called this movie anything...they could have called it "Zombies invade!" or "Attack of the Killer Zombies!" But no. They bought the rights to an absolutely fantastic, ground-breaking novel...arguably the best novel ever written in it's respective genre, and completely butchered it. Now we will never get a film adaptation of World War Z...ever. It's over, and all we have to show for it is this bull crap.

I blame the original author for this, if I'm selling rights to my source I'm getting myself 1st rights of refusal if they make it a shit script that isn't true to the source!

[chadritt]

I blame the original author for this, if I'm selling rights to my source I'm getting myself 1st rights of refusal if they make it a shit script that isn't true to the source!

Then youre not selling.

[Desnudo]

Yea, they weren't just running fast. They were running like, cheetah fast.

Apparently there's a scientific explanation

World War Z trailer: Brad Pitt zombie movie moves fast in first trailer. (VIDEO) (http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/11/09/world_war_z_trailer_brad_pitt_zombie_movie_moves_fast_in_first_trailer_video.html)

[Peregrine]

Like many of you, I am horrified by what they are doing to this book. I mean one of the major points in the book was how the militaries of the world were not suited for battling Zack, but somehow in this movie it's turned into some kind of zombie war porn.

[Peregrine]

I think what people here are upset about is this:

They could have called this movie anything...they could have called it "Zombies invade!" or "Attack of the Killer Zombies!" But no. They bought the rights to an absolutely fantastic, ground-breaking novel...arguably the best novel ever written in it's respective genre, and completely butchered it. Now we will never get a film adaptation of World War Z...ever. It's over, and all we have to show for it is this bull crap.

+1000

[Sun Tzu]

I had a thought this morning that I can't shake...

This movie looks like Michael Bay's idea of a "kick-ass zombie flick."

:(

[RainMaker]

I thought the trailer was good and look forward to it. But I never read the book. I completely understand where Sun Tzu is coming from. If I had a favorite book and that adapted it into something shitty, I'd be pissed as hell.

[Mota]

Well from the 2 minute trailer, the movie has 1 thing in common with the book. There's zombies. Other than that, it's pretty much it. Is the name worth that much to buy the license and not even use the story?

[JediKooter]

Apparently there's a scientific explanation

World War Z trailer: Brad Pitt zombie movie moves fast in first trailer. (VIDEO) (http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/11/09/world_war_z_trailer_brad_pitt_zombie_movie_moves_fast_in_first_trailer_video.html)

Hmmm... Reminds me of the line in Jurassic Park...

"Look at them. It's like they are flock of birds"
"They're flocking this way"

I think what people here are upset about is this:

They could have called this movie anything...they could have called it "Zombies invade!" or "Attack of the Killer Zombies!" But no. They bought the rights to an absolutely fantastic, ground-breaking novel...arguably the best novel ever written in it's respective genre, and completely butchered it. Now we will never get a film adaptation of World War Z...ever. It's over, and all we have to show for it is this bull crap.

Fear not. It's Hollywood. A reboot/remake will be out in about 5 years.

[Edward64]

Looking forward to this.

Zombies, Superman, and a return to Oz among movies to look forward to in 2013 - NBC News Entertainment (http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/21/16075215-zombies-superman-and-a-return-to-oz-among-movies-to-look-forward-to-in-2013?lite)
"World War Z" is based on Max Brooks' excellent book, which compiles fictional interviews with folks all over the world who tell of their experiences with a decade-long zombie apocalypse. Brad Pitt plays the U.N. employee who travels the world interviewing survivors and trying to get things under control. (June 21.)

I just finished re-reading the first 2 books of JL Bourne "Day by Day Armageddon" in anticipation of the 3rd book coming from Amazon soon. It was great and recommend any zombie fans read it.

[Marc Vaughan]

I don't care about the book and I'm not opposed to fast moving zombies, so that movie looks fucking awesome.

Except that they cast the horrible actress from the Killing as the lead

For me its not 'just' that they're fast moving - they seem to be controlled by some sort of group intelligence going by the clips I've seen, ie. Zombies are meant to be pretty much mindless, however in the trailer it shows them moving as a mass and grouping together to scale a wall etc.

By all means make a horror film using such an approach, but don't pretend its based on a Zombie book with nothing in common with it imho.

(personally more interested in the Oz movie these days myself :D)

[Desnudo]

Today I learned that Leonardo DiCaprio's production company was outbid by Brad Pitt's for this movie. What a shame.

[bob]

I still think the source material was begging for a HBO miniseries similar to Band of Brothers rather than a movie.

[Desnudo]

I'd be down with that. Would be easier to show the different points of view.

[Edward64]

and ... worth seeing (but already know the answer)?

[General Mike]

I saw it and I liked it enough, but then again I never read the book.

[HerRealName]

My son and I just got back. It was ok at best. The movie doesn't deserve the title at all, it is not related to the book at all.

[BYU 14]

Saw this tonight and liked it, but like others I have not read the book. I have it on my kindle fire and was waiting to see the movie first, since the resounding opinion here is the book was butchered. I would rather be amazed at the book after the fact, then disappointed in a shitty screen adaptation.

[Izulde]

Then youre not selling.

This.

[Edward64]

Good news for zombie fans!

World War Z 2 Just Suffered A Major Setback, Get The Details - CINEMABLEND (http://www.cinemablend.com/new/World-War-Z-2-Just-Suffered-Major-Setback-Get-Details-105407.html)
We'll be keeping a close eye on the World War Z 2 director's chair, reporting whoever fills the seat as soon as we find out. In the meantime, keep in mind that the film is due for a June 9, 2017 release date; so that announcement will probably be coming sooner than later.