World War Z

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World War Z

PG-13

Released Jun 21, 2013

1h 55m

Horror

Action

Adventure

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Popcornmeter

67%

Tomatometer

278 Reviews

72%

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250,000+ Ratings

When former U.N. investigator Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) and his family get stuck in urban gridlock, he senses that it's no ordinary traffic jam. His suspicions are confirmed when, suddenly, the city erupts into chaos. A lethal virus, spread through a single bite, is turning healthy people into something vicious, unthinking and feral. As the pandemic threatens to consume humanity, Gerry leads a worldwide search to find the source of the infection and, with luck, a way to halt its spread.

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Critics Consensus

It's uneven and diverges from the source book, but World War Z still brings smart, fast-moving thrills and a solid performance from Brad Pitt to the zombie genre.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

While the 3D effect helped increase the intensity of the film, I can only hope a sequel will fill in some of the story that is dangling in some areas.

Rated: C+

Sep 7, 2017

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Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

metro.co.uk

Scrape off all that spectacle and it's pretty non-original stuff.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 5, 2017

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Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

It's actually quite remarkable this movie turned out even remotely good, considering the horrendous production reports and the reshooting of the entire last act.

Rated: B

Apr 23, 2015

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JD Duran

InSession Film

Marco Beltrami’s score is excellent for the genre and the environment he’s given to work with...

Rated: A-

Aug 19, 2024

Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Successfully captures the fragmented and anthological nature of the source material, with the scope and scale managing to deliver exciting sequences not often seen in low-budget zombie fare.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 20, 2023

Full Review

Benjamín Harguindey

EscribiendoCine

The well-filmed genial ending makes us realize the weaknesses of what preceded it. Finally, the zombies are scary. But what are we afraid of? There isn't one single interesting character in the entire movie. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Aug 7, 2023

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Bill from Winchester

Cool movie about zombies. Brad Pitt was good as the main role. Lots of gore and violence so not recommended for younger viewers.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/25

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André J

Definitely my top 5-ish zombie movie!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/07/25

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Zach W.

World War Z is certainly the largest scale zombie story that I have seen. Directed by Marc Forster, World War Z is interesting for its vastness and striking with its fast pace. Initially, I felt like Brad Pitt was slightly miscast, but as the film progresses, Pitt’s character evolves and he grows into the role. Though the storyline does feel rushed, World War Z blends survival elements with a scientific analysis as Pitt’s protagonist attempts to solve the puzzle of what could cure humanity from the raging disease. Though there is little in the zombie genre that is truly new, World War Z showcases insane special effects that maximize the terror of the infected. With an opening act that introduces the audience to the conflict early, the rest of World War Z works as an investigative adventure across the globe. The supporting cast is virtually inexistent as the film primarily features Pitt navigating high-octane situations and intense combat sequences. While the film is an easy watch, I have to admit the farfetchedness exceeds more disbelief than the typical zombie film. The resolution to the conflict feels slightly oversimplified and the final act ends with the audience expecting much more. Overall, World War Z is a massive scale story that is made exhilarating because of its fast pace and compelling protagonist. World War Z introduces frightening concepts that seem genuinely possible, but the final act leaves the audience wanting more in an unfulfilled way.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/26/25

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Audience Member

Best zombies ever!!!! Old but gold

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/31/25

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Garrett B

Pretty entertaining for a movie of this genre.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/28/25

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Audience Member

It’s an interesting take on zombies. I enjoyed its a fun watch

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/21/25

Full Review

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Marc Forster

Director

Brad Pitt

Gerry Lane

Mireille Enos

Karen Lane

James Badge Dale

Speke

Daniella Kertesz

Segen

Matthew Fox

Parajumper

World War Z: Official Clip - Zombie Stampede

2:26

World War Z: Official Clip - Be Prepared for Anything

2:13

World War Z: Official Clip - Over the Wall

1:33

World War Z: Official Clip - Flight of the Living Dead

2:21

World War Z: Official Clip - Zombie Camouflage

2:11

World War Z: Official Clip - 12 Seconds to Infection

1:42

World War Z: Official Clip - We Just Woke the Dead

2:13

World War Z: Official Clip - They're Coming

1:47

World War Z: Official Clip - Zombie Outbreak

2:00

World War Z: Official Clip - Zombie Lab Attack

2:09

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Synopsis

When former U.N. investigator Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) and his family get stuck in urban gridlock, he senses that it's no ordinary traffic jam. His suspicions are confirmed when, suddenly, the city erupts into chaos. A lethal virus, spread through a single bite, is turning healthy people into something vicious, unthinking and feral. As the pandemic threatens to consume humanity, Gerry leads a worldwide search to find the source of the infection and, with luck, a way to halt its spread.

Director: Marc Forster
Producer: Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Ian Bryce
Screenwriter: Drew Goddard, Damon Lindelof, Matthew Michael Carnahan
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Latina Pictures, GK Films, Paramount, Plan B Entertainment, Plan B Films, 2DUX²
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Frightening Zombie Seq|Disturbing Images|Violence)
Genre: Horror, Action, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 21, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 7, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $202.4M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby

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