Question about the World War Z movie (spoilers)

[Orrex]

I liked the movie well enough, though I know that it differs markedly from the book. Not a big fan of the book, to be honest.

So... When Brad Pitt (post-injection) is stealthily sneaking around the WHO site, how did he pry the soda machine open without making more noise than he made by dumping the cans on the floor?

I may be mis-remembering: if they showed the machine pried open before that, then it makes a little more sense, though it's unclear what zombies would want with a soda machine or why the fleeing medical personnel would stop to bust open the machine.

Thoughts?

[CJCRANE]

1. It was just a neat ending.

The hero gets to look cool as he strides to freedom.

[Orrex]

4. But that should never be the answer

Any movie crap can be justified by saying "because it's cool." While that may sometimes be the explanation for a dumb decision, it should never be the answer.

He could have set off a siren or some sort of medical lab robot or whatever, all with the same result but without raising the question.

[CJCRANE]

5. It was also product placement for Pepsi

IIRC.

[Orrex]

6. Even so.

I don't mind product placement all that much, as long as it doesn't specifically and overtly disrupt the narrative.

As I look around the office today, I see two or three dozen brands clearly represented: Coca-Cola, Nabisco, Avaya, Dell, Staples, Keurig, etc. If such brands appear so conspicuously in everyday life, then it makes sense that they'd show up on screen.

[CJCRANE]

7. That's probably why they went with the drinks machine...

They got some money from Pepsi...which makes me think you're right that they could've done a better finale.

[charlie and algernon]

13. Heh, and remember, that finale WAS the rewrite

They called the LOST writers to come in and re-do the last third of the movie after most of it had already been filmed. Imagine how worse it could have been.

[Baitball Blogger]

19. +1

I don't know what Brad Pitt was thinking. Though I liked the movie, I felt like he spent six figures for the title of a story.

I think the real World War Z would work best as a compilation put together through a t.v. mini-series.

[dr.strangelove]

2. I have never seen more than 10 minutes of the film

I was a HUGE fan of the book. I am a zombie fiction geek, and thought this one was one of the best. When the movie came out and was so different, I walked out of the theater 10 minutes in. I tried to rent it at a red box and try again, but I turned it off at the same time. Could no watch it.

[Orrex]

3. I kind of can't stand the book, to be honest

Brooks simply doesn't impress me, not with his writing nor his ideas, and certainly not with the attention he's drawn for what is, in the end, a mediocre and derivative work. I'm glad that the movie departed from the book so thoroughly.

Not that the film was perfect, but I found it more enjoyable than the book by a substantial margin.


YMMV of course.

[dr.strangelove]

8. Brooks

I don't know any other writings, I have only read the Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z. But I found both of these anything but mediocre, and no more derivative than is possible to avoid when writing "Romano Rules" zombie fiction. World War Z was presented in a very fun style, told in first person survivor viewpoint with various people painting a picture of the war at various times and places. I thought it was great. To me, the book took that concept and made it into a zombie movie about a good looking star and the outbreak. I am all for zombie films, but why use the name of such a fun presentation to throw what was fun abotu it out the window. If Pitt was interviewing others and their stories were told, it would have been fun. I felt angry and let down.

[charlie and algernon]

9. World War Z the movie is fine if you consider it a completely separate movie

that just happens to have the same title and lead character name as Brooks' book. It's not anywhere near the top of the Zombie Movie "Best of..." list, but it's adequate. What I like about it, is we get to see the initial outbreak as it happens. I was really hoping we'd get a movie for Stephen King's "Cell" because we'd get to see the zombie outbreak suddenly happen in Boston. Alas, it seems stuck in development hell or whatnot.

A true adaption for World War Z the book would work best as a miniseries. You take 5 two hour episodes and pick 10 or so of the best stories. Either intertwine them (introduce the characters in episode 1 and show them throughout the miniseries) or devote each episode to two or three stories.

If we can't get that, I'd kill for a stand alone movie just on the Chinese Sub captain. That one story has Oscar material written all over it.

[dr.strangelove]

10. Capt. Chen, Col. Christina Eliopolis and Kondo and the Sensei

These three were my favorite chapters and would indeed make for a grand film presentation. I think the best for TV would be the Hendricks famiy saga of movign north, fighting first zombies, and then each other. It would be great horror TV.
I like the idea of the miniseries. I would do an hour or two of about 10-12 chapters. Some could be very short stories, but fun, like the chapters of the zombie dog hunters or the scuba suits. I would have to see the Battle of Yonkers done right.

[charlie and algernon]

14. Those are my favorites too

I only think Yonkers could be done right is if HBO made the miniseries, you can't spare the spectacle of seeing hundreds of rockets flying through the air and then doing jack shit after all the explosions are done. Actually, here's an idea that I really really love now thinking about it. You do a ten episode miniseries a la Band of Brothers, only with Zombies.

Episode 1 - Alpha Teams and Yonkers
Ep. 2 - Retreat West, may have to make up a couple firefights not included in the book
Ep. 3 - Defense of the Rockies
Ep. 4 - Rest and Retraining, introduction of the Lobo
Ep. 5 - Battle of Hope
Ep. 6 - Battle of the Black Hills, start of Battle of Chicago
Ep. 7 - Battle of Chicago
Ep. 8 - Battle of New York
Ep. 9 - Clean up, show the scuba fighters
Ep. 10 - Return home, etc.

[Orrex]

11. As far as "derivative" goes...

My beef is that Brooks simply did what other authors had been doing for 40+ years, but he's praised as the definitive source as if he invented the genre. That's not entirely his fault, of course, but he's done nothing to mitigate that perception either. I've seen at least two or three programs where he's been brought in to consult as the "zombie expert," for example, and he didn't waste much time recognizing the work that had preceded his. Contrast that with Romero who repeatedly states outright that he borrowed heavily from Matheson's writing.

I agree that the film has little to do with the book, but perhaps the way to think of it is either as another survivor's account or else a sort of pastiche of the accounts of number of survivors.

[GOLGO 13]

12. That's the best way to look at it now that I think of it.

I was disapointed to not see the battle of Yonkers played out. Instead we got Pitt playing the hero. What a fucking ego.

I read somewhere Brooks had little to do with the movie.

[Baitball Blogger]

21. I think he did this because it's old school to bring a story to life by following the trials of a

sympathetic protagonist.

For comparison, watch the beginning of Z-Nation which is just on its second episode on Sci Fi. The story struggled a little when they removed the one sympathetic character that most people could latch on to.

It's not to say that it will be a bad t.v. series. Just one that will have to work hard to hold our attention because no one stands out yet as someone we care about. Except maybe "the kid." And he's the one with the least speaking part!

[dr.strangelove]

15. I don't see it the same way

I have yet to see anyone treat Brooks in the way you are describing. I think he is seen exactly as a talented writer who does what many other talented writers have done for many years, which is drive the zombie genre further and in exciting and entertaining ways. Brooks has written 2 books, while I could list a list of authors who have written a dozen who are looked at in far higher light in teh genre. His father clearly helped him get exposure, but his writing is very good and his ideas original. No one else ever wrote a worldwide view of the Z.A. in a single work, using the strengths and weaknesses of each population, to show how the ZA was defeated, or how they lost. He brought in his own prejudices, as any good writer does, and it came through a lot, especially in his views of Israel and Russia. But this is what good authors do, they draw from their own life. Anyway, I just disagree with you about him. I think he is a very good writer who got a leg up from his dad, but that is pretty common. He wrote one of my favorite books in teh genre, and I figure I have about 50 zombie books in my google play library. I am re-reading Myra Grant's "newsflesh" trilogy right now.

[GOLGO 13]

16. Nice. I have Myra's books all lined up in my reading queue.

I still have a shelf full of other Z-books and Warhammer 40K to go through.

[dr.strangelove]

17. Grant (Seanan McGuire) is very good

Her writing style does not capture the exciting pace like Jonathon Maberry, but she writes amazing characters. I alays fall for her characters and for most of them, really feel their deaths. Her best work is a novella I think, called How Green this Land. Take a look at Ben Tripp and Rhiannon Frater, I love their characters too. Always glad to find another lover of the genre. I have a bunch of friends I see at the conventions and they are always sharing good autors. I miss the days when we would trade paperbacks, but now its all e-reading. Anyway, all the best!

[GOLGO 13]

18. Another Maberry fan...

I am a big follower of his Joe Ledger series and I will be quite annoyed when he "finishes with him" as he says. Maberry is also known for writing for Marvel Comics which reflects his action oriented writing style.

I just finished the 2nd book by JL Bourne's, Day By Day Armageddon series. It's written journal style which fits a new writer quite helpfully. His third book in his trilogy has most definetly found it's way into my reading list as well.

Rhiannon Frater is unknown to me but she appears to be quite prolific with her output. She seems to have both feet planted firmly in the genre. Interesting, a female writer of Z-books? I'll have to see what's going on here.

I have read Ben Tripp's, RISE AGAIN and liked it quite well. I see he has the sequel to RA already out. I'll revisit the RA world again quite happily. Thanks for the heads up Dr S!

[dr.strangelove]

22. Bourne

I got to meet him a few years back at a convention and he was very fun to talk with. He loves the genre and was excited about that 2nd book. The third book in Day by Day has come out and the style changed a little (not journal any more) but it is still a very good read. I found myself pulling for the main character (Kilroy) in all his adventures. It got a little odd at the end there, but still very fun.

Ben Tripp's books are fun. I liked them a lot. If I could tell you about a great collection of zombie shorts called The New Dead, you should read it. Another appocolapse book I recently read and liked, though no zombies, was Cannibal Reign by Tom Koloniar. I would recommend it. My wife LOVES Diana Rowland's White Trash Zombie series, but I have not been able to get into it.

I LOVE the Joe Ledger series. I met that character in the Rot and Ruin series, then read the whole Joe Ledger series to date. You can totally see the comic book style in his writing. I love those books.

I read a lot (2 hours on a train every day) so I pick up whatever hints I can get at authors, characters or series. I also read the Agent Pendergast books (and everythign by its authors Doug Preston and Lincold Child) and I read Jim Butcher's work (love teh Harry Dresden books). I would stay away from Lee Emerick's zombie books though, not enjoyable for me. If you hear of anything worth reading, please share it. All the best.

[NewJeffCT]

23. I read the first two books in the

Day by Day Armageddon series. The original & Beyond Exile. I liked the first one quite a bit, other than the main character announcing early on that he watched Fox News religiously.

Second one, I thought was good as well, until the end. - spoiler alert >>[font color=white] I didn't like the aliens brought us the virus angle [/font]

[Baitball Blogger]

20. It worked for me because I like the journalist style books.

Especially the ones that deal with real life situations. "And the Band Played On" took a hold of me in a way that left me crying when I realized that the author didn't survive the early AIDs crisis that he was writing about.

[charlie and algernon]

24. This fan-made trailer shows us what we COULD have had with a World War Z movie

[dr.strangelove]

25. Is that Iron Maiden playing over the trailer

I would have loved that movie.