World War Z

World War Z

Rated PG-13 and released in Grand Rapids 6/21/13

Reviewed 6/27/13 at Cine Star in Frankfurt, Germany

with Gary

3 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Cine Star - Frankfurt,  Germany

Elevators to the theatre

Going to a movie somewhere in another city, state or country is always a unique experience. The theatres always look modern and cool, but we are set in our ways at Celebration Theatres with buttering our own popcorn and filling our own drinks. And Europeans are not fans of ice! When you go out to eat in Europe and and ask for ice, you get a cube or two. And if you ask for lots of ice, you still get a cube or two. I don't get it.

Gary in line for tickets at the busy theatre

Theatre cafe where you can buy beer, wine, or have a nice lunch

We were in Frankfurt, Germany, and after a full day of other tourism "stuff", we decided to get in our favorite pastime. We found the only English speaking theatre in the city, but thought maybe we were mistaken when we nervously watched the dubbed over English previews. Remember the old Japanese Godzilla films? That's what these trailers were like! But come movie time all of the crazed zombies were gnawing away in English. Phew!

Stocking up on snacks!

Brad Pitt needed this one. With him starring and producing the most expensive zombie movie ever made (ballpark $200 million), he had a lot hanging on this. Gary and I loved it. We were on the edge of our seats from the first scene. Very intense, we especially thought the special effects added to the lively scenes. Yes it had all of the ridiculousness, but come on...we're talking zombies.

Pitt plays Gerry Lane, a former UN officer, who is abruptly pulled back into action when a global force is behind an unexplained pandemic that is quickly sucking the life out of the world. Gerry and his family are swept out of Philadelphia via helicopter to a waiting aircraft carrier. Then just as quickly, Lane is being sent out to lead the mission to find ground zero. Globetrotting from South Korea, to Israel, to India, he unravles rather quickly that the killers consuming the humans are actually zombies and it appears to be up to him to save the world. Let's hope other countries have their own team out working the planet also. With the undead brutally consuming almost everything in their path, Gerry barely escapes the fast moving killers. He lands in India and teams up with scientists holing up at the World Health Organization. They are on to something and finally some believable intelligence steps in backing the awkward Gerry Lane. It is not the perfect solution to eradicating, and even more of a band aid, which seems to leave an open door to a second film. This could be titled What's Left of the World - Not Much, because the zombies have sure made a mess of things. If Pitt makes his money back then maybe we will see another. We will definitely be in for that!

QUIET Rating system: 3 1/2Js

Quality: JJj

Understood story:  JJj

Interest: JJJJj

Entertainment:  JJJJ

Time:  JJJj