7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 3.6 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.6 |
Former United Nations investigator travels the world trying to stop the outbreak of a deadly Zombie pandemic.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Ludi BoekenAction | 100% |
Adventure | 71% |
Sci-Fi | 63% |
Thriller | 39% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Horror | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (2 BDs, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
There may be nothing bigger in the broad entertainment field right now than zombies. Superhero movies and digital kids' fare still reign supreme at the box office, but combine the world of film, television, literature, video games, and comics and it would be hard to find anything has so captured the public's imagination than a fictional scenario in which the dead reanimate and feast on the living. But why? What is it that makes that specific fear, that sort of violence, that kind of apocalyptic world so appealing? Is it the possibility for any number of wild, no-win scenarios? Is it the fantasy of escaping the doldrums of reality and finding a charge in life through the specter of almost certain death? Or is it just a fad that will pass with time with no real rhyme or reason for its success? Certainly within the greater Zombie story proliferation there are no, or at least few, deeply rooted themes and commentaries anymore. George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead remains that standard bearer of zombies-as-social-commentary. New productions, like The Walking Dead, aim for character drama and gritty reality more so than jabs at mindless consumerism. Whatever the purpose may be, zombies are a hot commodity and it doesn't appear that they're about to fall out of public favor in the near future. Enter World War Z, the latest Zombie movie to bite its way into theaters. It, too, is largely absent any sort of morality tales or sly commentary but it does deliver top-flight popcorn entertainment on a scope the Zombie genre has never before seen. Based on the book by Max Brooks, son of Filmmaker Mel Brooks, the picture delights in intensity and seamless visual effects without the gut-churning gore of The Walking Dead, making it perhaps the perfect entry point for anyone yet to become fully immersed in the Zombie entertainment pandemic.
Ax me about zombies.
World War Z's 2D-only presentation proved technically stable but hardly handsome. The same
applies here, mostly. This is, again, not the most attractive image in the world. It's fairly pasty a good bit of the time, not always vibrant, and sharp but
not
consistently so. It's all a little bit dimmer and murkier in 3D, not significantly so but enough to make an already somewhat unattractive film a little bit
more so. There's a light softness to many scenes, particularly early and throughout the film's first act. As with the 2D-only transfer, the picture fares
best in its middle act in terms of clarity, robustness, and definition, though it's all a touch underwhelming in 3D. Colors satisfy but not to a great
degree, while details are largely well defined but not to the same level as the finest images. Again, it points more towards the film and much
less towards the Blu-ray release. As for the 3D elements, they're not earth shatteringly impressive, either, though, at the end of the day, may be
described as "technically sound." The
image shows fair general depth, particularly evident across some longer shots and noticeably in the early Philadelphia overheads. Unfortunately, good
spacing is about all this one has to offer, and even then some of more intimate and medium-length shots don't really dazzle in terms of the third
dimension. There are a few good moments when ash appears to hover in front of, and well into, the screen during one of the South Korean sequences.
A few falling zombies that plummet towards
the camera will make the audience flinch. Text overlays appear as if they're well out beyond the confines of the screen. But that's all basic stuff. There's
nothing to really dazzle audiences, nothing to set this one apart from the pack. It's a serviceable 3D effort, nothing more and nothing less.
All screenshots have been sourced from the included 2D-only disc.
World War Z explodes onto Blu-ray with a fantastic DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack. It's excellent from the moment the sound rises in sync with the Paramount stars shooting towards the mountain. It's big and serious with a potent low end element that never overwhelms but instead captures a deep, penetrating essence. Musical notes are faultlessly spread about the stage, yielding natural placement and superb clarity with just the right balance of surround support. The track handles its supportive effects wonderfully, whether light background sounds of traffic and overhead helicopters at the beginning or the sheer immersive chaos of a city overrun by zombies later on. The track is dynamically involved and faultlessly clear and robust through every moment and in its delivery of each unique sound. Gunfire pops with pleasing authority and presence, while explosions feature the sort of pinpoint heft and stage presence that's only heard on the best tracks. Dialogue clarity and placement are accurate throughout. This is an excellent lossless soundtrack, just the sort one would expect to accompany a huge Action blockbuster title.
World War Z's Blu-ray 3D contains a limited assortment of supplements, headlined by a four-part making-of featurette. All supplements may
be found on the included 2D-only disc. No 3D-specific extras are included. Please note that the extended cut of the film is only available in 2D while the
theatrical cut is only available in 3D.
World War Z lacks both the dramatic splendor and splattering gore of The Walking Dead. It's also absent the biting social commentary of Romero's classic films, but what it doesn't fail to feature is a robust story, fast-paced action, and insanely detailed special effects. This is huge, entertaining moviemaking done very well by a director with a vision and a keen sense of how to entertain both his core audience and outsiders dabbling in what is a fairly safe but highly intense and oftentimes exhilarating Zombie film. World War Z is built to please, and please it does as one of 2013's most agreeably exciting films. Paramount's Blu-ray 3D release of World War Z features solid video, adequate 3D, reference audio, and several extras. The 2D-only version is the better option.
2013
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2013
Exclusive Digital Bonus Content
2013
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2013
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2013
Limited Edition
2013
Limited Edition
2013
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2013
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2013
2009
2018
20th Anniversary
2003
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2018
2016
2005
Collector's Edition
2013
2014
20th Anniversary Edition
1996
Director's Cut
2009
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2016
2013
1998
Special Edition
2000
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2020
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