- The crowning achievements in World War Z are its beginning and end. The middle is all zombie-filled, choppily edited mush. Thankfully, the first and third acts are actually quite good so the film is all-in-all entertaining. There are several supporting characters whose screen time was cut too short (i.e. the virologist and his "mother nature as a serial killer" dialogue) and some missed opportunities to explore some potentially interesting subplots, but I suspect they might resurface in the inevitable sequel(s). Brad Pitt has a pretty amazing track record and can carry even a narratively messy film on his shoulders, even with that pseudo-mullet of his. I thought the story (didn't read the book) came up with a pretty ingenious method to combat the zombie epidemic and offered one of the most creative solutions to beating the undead I have seen. Without giving away too much, the idea of the "camouflage" and the final sequences in the WHO research facility in Wales were pretty stellar and weighed heavily on my impression of the film. The notion of a global epidemic has been an interesting cinematic topic in recent years (i.e. Soderbergh's Contagion) and one which I find quite compelling on screen. If you overlook the numerous plot holes and the jumble that is the film's second act, you'll find a satisfying zombie summer action movie with a few nice surprises.
- Rating: 4 / 5
Man of Steel
- Thank the comic book movie gods Russell Crowe was in this movie. The aussie's presence was the highlight of this promising-but-somewhat-of-a-letdown take on the Superman lore. In Man of Steel, Superman surprisingly doesn't really get the hero status that he deserves. The film is littered with frequent flashbacks that serve to highlight his backstory but unfortunately also prevent us from connecting with Henry Cavill's portrayal of the titular superhero. I'm curious what percentage of Superman lines belonged to the young actors portraying young Clark Kent and what percentage belonged to Mr. Cavill.... The opening sequences are impressive, but the film then falters when the setting changes to Earth. Too many things are being attempted at once and none really works. It's difficult to make a Superman movie and truly make audiences feel a sense of danger for our beloved hero. This one succeeds in terms of visual spectacle, but altogether feels like it should've been much grander than the final product.
- Rating: 2.5 / 5
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