World War Z (2013, 4K UHD Blu-ray) Review
Paramount Pictures
Release Date: 10/1/2024
Rating: PG-13
Film Grade: B-
The Story: A pandemic, originating in Asia, has swept the globe. Even as governments clamp down on the citizenry, the plague cannot be stopped as deaths continue to mount. No, it’s not China or Covid-19, but a disease that turns its victims into frenzied zombies, quickly spreading with just a single bite.
Retired UN investigator, Gerry Lane, and his family find themselves caught up in the madness as they try to escape the rapidly decaying cities. He’s soon contacted by his former boss, Thierry Umutoni, who starts making rescue plans. Thus begins a global adventure in search of a cure to the horrific virus.
My Take: I didn’t care much for this movie when it first came out but appreciated it much more with this rewatch. Perhaps it’s the added perspective of living through an actual pandemic. Even without the zombie element, there were enough issues raised and science involved that made it much more engaging this time around. Government lockdowns? Check. Countries closing their borders? Check. Mention of H1-N1? Check. The unprecedented race for a vaccine? Check. There’s another political angle that is briefly discussed that I won’t get into, but let’s just say it has relevance to world events over the past year.
The juxtaposition of a fictional zombie pandemic with our comparatively serious, but far less drastic real events, make it more relative today, and ultimately offers relief that things didn’t turn out to be as horrifying. The movie raises serious questions and concerns about how far people and institutions are willing to go in fighting for what they think is the best course of actions. Harsh and immediate decisions need to be made for survival. Those feelings of urgencies and the unpredictability of nature also add depth to the film.
Brad Pitt is put to good use in this movie, playing a thoughtful man who’s forced back into an action role. It’s his intelligence and quick thinking that carry the story forward, where others falter. The rest of the cast is more than competent, mostly playing small, but memorable parts in the movie, a credit to director Marc Forster.
The weak spot of the movie is the third act. Said to have been completely rewritten, it has some great elements to work with. Considering the brain power of the characters involved, the filmmakers could have been so much more inventive in how it was executed. I won’t get into any spoilers, but they neglected an important element, one that is featured during the closing montage, that would have been really clever and creative. (Anyone interested can PM me for details.) While it works, and offers a satisfactory conclusion, it feels driven by plot needs rather than a natural outcome.
Visuals: Comparing the 4K disc to the Blu-ray, there are some clear examples where HDR adds to the detail of the picture. This is a great looking movie, with a good use of light, color, and deep rich shadows. The varied environments are convincingly portrayed. The camera picks up the gruesome looking zombies in all their decaying, gory, glory. I’d consider the 4K as a worthwhile upgrade over the Blu-ray. The frantic camera work makes some of the sequences hard to follow, but I’m betting that’s intentional. Partly to keep the audience as caught off-guard and as confused as the characters and also to keep the movie rated PG-13. Long, steady shots clearly displaying the full extent of violence would likely have bumped it up to an R.
Unfortunately, the 4K disc does not include the unrated cut that includes additional scenes and a different edit. The new version doesn’t just include more gore, but it also has a different plot point for one of the minor characters, and I think the rearranged stairwell sequence actually works better in the unrated cut.
Audio: The 4K disc sticks with the 7.1 DTS-HD MA mix, rather than offering a new Atmos or DTS-X version. Putting that aside, it’s still a great soundtrack. The score fits the plot well, accentuating the action and emotions of the various scenes. On top of that, there are some really fun uses of the subwoofer channel in this one, guaranteed to grab your attention. Overall, it’s a great example of what can be done with just seven bed channels.
Special Features: Nothing on the 4K disc, but the Blu-ray offers several. While short, they do contain some interesting information about the creation of the movie, and worth the watch for fans.
- Origins
- Looking to Science
- WWZ: Production
Final Verdict: It’s hard not to view this movie through a Covid-19 lens, and that made a big difference to me. Deadly pandemics aren’t just a speculative plot line or history lesson from the early 20th century anymore; we’ve all lived through one now. While the movie is bathed in zombie trappings, there are elements that proved prescient, adding an underlying, almost subconscious, weight and depth to the story. By the end, we can feel the relief that we made it through alive.
There was supposed to be a sequel, but it was canceled in 2019. Given what has gone on for the past four years, it might be worth reconsidering. There’s so much real-life experience for filmmakers and the audience to draw from that it’s rich for mining.
There’s always been a divide among fandom between those that favor slow-moving zombies versus those that love the fast-moving versions. I’m firmly in the former camp, but this is a good example of the more animated style. If you haven’t seen this in a while, it’s definitely worth a rewatch, and the 4K version is worth consideration if you haven’t purchased it yet.
Fun Fact: According to an article from
The Wrap, the movie originally pointed to the virus originating in China but was changed in hopes of appeasing the Chinese censors before submitting it for review. Even with changes, it was still rejected.
This review is just one part of the Paramount Scares Vol.2 box set.
The review for the physical set itself can be found here:
Paramount Scares Vol. 2 Collector SetAnd here are the links to the other three movies:
Friday the 13th Part II (1981, 4K UHD Blu-ray) ReviewBreakdown (1997, 4K UHD Blu-ray) ReviewOrphan: First Kill (2022, 4K UHD Blu-ray) ReviewMy Review System:JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
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