World War Z

The first 8:33 of World War... Wait, we're supposed to cover the first 10:00, wtf... wait so the counter starts right at the... So, the Ten minute point is when the Blu-Ray player says 10:00? But, World War Z had almost 90 seconds of Studio logos and production companies... Oh.  Sorry World War Z, the rules are the rules, but you're a zombie movie so following convention and rules is expected.  Heck, Zombieland owned that zombie movies have rules, and made it a thing, and two of their cast members are in Now You See Me, which is REALLY GOOD!!!... Oh World War Z... go on...  you've got a nice mix of well designed title sequence mixed with media footage montage establishing a bit of what's possibly going on, and we're 3:24 in...  but we're with (this was in the trailer, and doesn't spoil anything) the most idyllic family morning ever.  Jeeze, look at those granite countertops!  Everyone's hair is perfect in the sun... this looks like
By the 6 minute mark you might have an inferiority complex.  This isn't Richard Dreyfuss' very real family from Close Encounters, this is a catalogue come to life.  I know it's just supposed to reinforce the shock of having their perfect world shaken up by a zombie apocalypse, but... I think it alienates the audience.  Even though it's Brad Pitt, in this movie he's not supposed to be Brad Pitt (not the real Brad Pitt, the Brad Pitt mentioned in the Shania Twain song, the idealized him) , he supposed to be someone more, mortal, normal, fallible.  That'd make doing exceptional things less expected, and increase the drama more than Zombies ruin Folgers lovers morning!

Well then we do get some action... and the type of nuisance behavior kids who are plot devices rather than characters always do.  By the ten minute point, we're in a zombie movie of some type, but the last seven minutes have been a mess, and I even get why that's what they were going for.  That the confusion hitting you, your family, would upset your idyllic life.  I get the thesis.  If it looked less like a coffee commercial, if I knew where they were intending to go in their vehicle, and if the filmmakers had a step by step progression for the chaos that starts in mind... it could have been more effective.

On the plus side, it's brisk and the protagonist is likable... but, because he's Brad Pitt!  Without him, I'd have to judge the character on his shitty driving skills and ill behaved children which I would blame on them being sheltered by their parents who won't even explain what "martial law" is.  "It's like house rules, but for everybody"  Bullshit, tell you kid the military has taken control of... someplace.  Really a news broadcast without a ticker in the chyron?  Bullshit!  A budget of $190 million and we can't have some news graphics?  It does get better, but the first ten minutes are riddled with missed opportunities.