'World War Z' a Hit for Brad Pitt – If Reviewers Know Their Stuff

"World War Z," the highly anticipated Brad Pitt zombie thriller, hits theaters this weekend and, if early reviews are any indication, it will live up to all the hype.

Based on the 2006 Max Brooks novel of the same name, "World War Z" features producer-star Pitt as Gerry Lane, a retired U.N. investigator trying to find a way to stop the zombie epidemic that's threatening humanity.

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The film, which hits theaters Friday, is already earning high marks among reviewers, who are applauding its realistic effects, thrilling twists and turns, and family-centric storyline.

Entertainment Weekly

"'World War Z' is epically scaled, but it's not a messy, noisy, CGI-bogus, throw-everything-at-the-audience sort of blockbuster. It's thrillingly controlled, and it builds in impact… The story's blend of terror and ingenuity attains an intoxicating, jittery finesse. 'World War Z' turns the prospect of the end of our world into something tumultuous and horrifying and, at the same time, exciting. It's scary good fun."

Forbes

"Fans of zombie movies will be happy because it finally provides a realistic portrayal of zombies on a mass scale… At the heart of the tale is a family story, which doesn’t get short-changed in the advertising and will have added appeal to adult audiences who appreciate some dramatic weight behind action spectacle."

Chicago Sun-Times

"'World War Z' trafficks in a lot of familiar territory, but thanks to the wickedly vibrant source material (Max Brooks' 2006 horror novel), some slick and darkly funny directorial choices by Marc Forster and terrific performances from Pitt and the supporting cast, it's entertaining as hell."

Variety

"Director Marc Forster and producer-star Brad Pitt's much-maligned 'World War Z' emerges as a surprisingly smart, gripping and imaginative addition to the zombie-movie canon... this sleekly crafted, often nail-biting tale of global zombiepocalypse clicks on both visceral and emotional levels, resulting in an unusually serious-minded summer entertainment."   


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