OVERVIEW: “The suspense is killer!” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) in the fast-paced, pulse-pounding epic WORLD WAR Z, debuting on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D™, DVD and On Demand on September 17, 2013. The pandemic begins one week early on Digital September 10th. 

Starring international superstar Brad Pitt and based on the best-selling and wildly popular novel, WORLD WAR Z took audiences by storm and was hailed by critics as “thrilling, epic and spectacular” (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly) and the “most gratifying action spectacle in years!” (David Denby, The New Yorker). The tense and thrilling film follows a former United Nations investigator (Pitt) as he helps stop the chaotic pandemic that has gripped populations around the world. WORLD WAR Z features stunning visual effects and edge-of-your-seat action and suspense that take the Zombie apocalypse phenomenon to a more extreme and electrifying level.

“I’m really excited for fans to see the new unrated version of WORLD WAR Z on Blu-ray,” said producer and star Brad Pitt. “We were thrilled with the audience response to the film in theaters and wanted to give viewers even more of the action and intensity that they loved when they watch the film at home.”

WORLD WAR Z will be available on Blu-ray Combo or Blu-ray 3D Combo with an Unrated Cut packed with even more thrills and action too intense for theaters, along with the theatrical version of the film. The combo packs feature UltraViolet™ and boast in-depth looks at the making of the film, the seamless blending of practical and digital effects, the science behind the Zombie outbreak and much more. The film will also be available as a single-disc DVD. 

SYNOPSIS: The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself.

FILM REVIEW:  

  I think Brad Pitt has out done himself with this latest “zombie” effort. Before the screening, it was quite difficult to imagine a Brad Pitt character fighting off the catastrophe of zombies taking over the world. However, boy was I in for a pleasant surprise!?! Pitt and Director Marc Forster, et al, delivered above and beyond expectations here. I guess Forster’s Monster’s Ball (2001) and Quantum of Solace (2008) experience has prepared him for this action thriller. Based on World War Z, a 2006 apocalyptic horror novel by Max Brooks, this Hollywood blockbuster might be a bit late to the zombie party, but it arrives just as everyone has gotten in to the whole bath-salts and zombie craze. This, precisely it seems, is when audiences are most receptive to a well-done Hollywood production as we have here.

One of the strangest things I felt about this flick is that with an actor like Will Smith playing the lead role, this flick could have easily passed as a prequel to I Am Legend, the 2007 post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror flick directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Will Smith. Along with the concept being very much in line with Smith’s film, it could also be mistaken as a better version of Contagion, the 2011 Steven Soderbergh medical thriller disaster flick. That said, the film stays very conventional in terms of concept, but it moves at breakneck speeds throughout, keeping you on the edge of your seat. This is supported with the 3D affect, which I must say really makes a huge difference in action and horror films and it surely does work here. I thought the cinematography was awesome and simply brilliant.

Overall, this flick is not just about the outbreak of a deadly virus, its origins, its after-effects or the destruction it caused; It’s about the investigation involved to curtail the global crisis and the measures taken to prevent further damage. At some point, you do feel Forster might be biting off more than he can chew, due to the scale and magnitude of the problem at hand; however, he presents the sequences in a manner that can be easily followed and never lets it become too overwhelming for audiences. Apparently, the climax had to be re-shot (for reasons unknown), but one could not tell and it was seamlessly executed, despite the ending falling a bit flat, but not incoherent. Actually in my view, perfect, if one wanted to pickup with a part two similar to Smith’s I am Legend, this would have been a perfect ending.

This is the zombie movie of the year, by far and is well worth shelling out the bucks for a 3D ticket. Pitt and Forster et al, does a magnificent job and I think it deserves five out of five stars, but will give it four and a half instead, for being a bit lacking in the climax.

BLU-RAY: The film is presented in widescreen in a 2.39:1 aspect ration preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just flawless. Not only the picture looks great in this release, also the sound it is good, a 5.1 Dolby Digital in English that provides a good complement to the picture. It also includes  English, French  and Spanish subtitles.

VIDEO:
Widescreen (2.39:1) 16x9

AUDIO:
English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital,  and English Audio Description

Subtitles - English SDH, French, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Origins—The filmmakers discuss collaborating with renowned actor/producer Brad Pitt to create a Zombie film the likes of which have never been seen.

Looking to Science—Explore the scientific realities of Zombie behavior in nature and learn more about Zombies in literature and film.

WWZ: Production

Outbreak—Go on set with Brad Pitt and director Marc Forster for a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s breathtaking first attack in Philadelphia.

The Journey Begins—Delve deeper into Gerry’s fight for survival during the dramatic escape in South Korea.

Behind The Wall—Explore the epic scene in Jerusalem and discover the incredible logistics of creating the elaborate stunts and crowd sequences.

Camouflage—Experience the final confrontation between Gerry and the Zombies and discover the phenomenal scope of the film’s production.

Ultraviolet Copy

DVD Copy