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'World War Z' quickly reaches zombie overload

( PG-13 ) ( Monitor Movie Guide )

'World War Z' is the next zombie movie when there have already been far too many.

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Jaap Buitendijk/Paramount Pictures/AP
'World War Z' stars Brad Pitt (center).
  • By Peter Rainer Film critic

What would popular entertainment be these days without zombies? The latest, and biggest, zombie-festation is “World War Z,” starring Brad Pitt as a former United Nations investigator of global “hot zones.” The action kicks in early as Pitt’s Gerry and his family are caught in urban gridlock that quickly morphs into zombielock.

Pitt has fought to make this movie for more than six years, and presumably his passion has as much to do with zombies as metaphors for eco-disaster. (Some kind of viral infection apparently started the whole mess, wouldn’t you know). 

Trouble is, when you see a zombie rapidly advancing on you – and in this movie, they travel in hordes – it’s no time to be thinking metaphorically. 

Director Marc Forster is very good at amping up the terror, but after a while, we reach zombie overload and we might as well be watching an infestation of Transformers. Pitt conducts himself manfully throughout the proceedings – he is never less than believable while facing off against this pandemic – but if I never see another zombie in the movies, I will not feel deprived. Grade: B- (Rated PG-13 for intense frightening zombie sequences, violence and disturbing images.)

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