Brad Pitt finds himself facing hordes of flesh-eating zombies in the self-proclaimed doomsday blockbuster World War Z.
The question is does investing millions of dollars in the latest 3-D visual effects and planting a big name like Pitt in the middle of the stage justify all the hype?
After the producers ploughed in an estimated $170 million to bring the movie to the big screen, Pitt and his supporting cast have got to go sum to win the cash and a profit back through the box office.
World War Z – the Z stands for Zombie – is really just another good-looking hero survives against all the odds action thriller with the Zombies playing the fall guys.
It might just have well been World War I for Indians out west, World War A for Middle Eastern terrorists or the other bad guys that stand up as the fodder for the good guy’s blazing weapons.
How old is Brad Pitt?
All that aside, is World War Z worth a tenner or so at your local cinema.
If you are a fan of all things Pitt, then probably, until you realise is 50 years old in 2013. Like the pensionable Bruce Willis and Robert de Niro, his best action days are really behind him now the knees are beginning to creak.
The action spans exotic locations around the world – the US, of course, South Korea, Israel and Cardiff… yes Cardiff.
Pitt plays Gerry Lane, a former UN troubleshooter, whatever that is, and is tasked with saving the world. How his CV talked him up for the final interview is dubious, as he is not even a scientist.
The bottom line is forget the story, don’t look for art, just sit back and enjoy the action as those crazy zombies just keeping on coming for more punishment.
Shoot ‘em up
You can already see the opportunity for a shoot ‘em up game that must be on the way.
Of course, just as Daleks can’t go upstairs, the zombies have their weak spot. The survivors of the epidemic that turned the world’s population into crazy cannibals simply take to the water in warships.
That’s a free tip – if you need to escape flesh mad zombies out to make you a snack, go on a cruise.
Yes, the special effects are spectacular and in 3-D even more so, so World War Z starring Brad Pitt marks high for entertainment, and the run time of 116 minutes is just about long enough.