World War Z

[Gelston]

So, I just saw the trailer for the movie today. It looks so badass. I have been waiting for this movie since I read the book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcwTxRuq-uk

I'm guessing the wall is the one Israel built in response to the zombies. Insanity!

[Androidpk]

So, I just saw the trailer for the movie today. It looks so bad

Is what you meant to say :(

[Gelston]

No, it is not. I am fucking ready for it. I like how they show the zombie hordes as a rampaging wave too.

[Aluvius]

The movie looks good but its not sticking very close to the book. The zombies in the book were the OG slow type. I like either kind though.

[Gelston]

Yeah. Brooks had no control over the screenplay or the movie, but he read all the scripts and stuff and has said he is happy with it. I've always liked faster zombies anyways... Always seemed a lot more terrifying.

Something else cool: The Zombie Survival Guide, The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, and World War Z (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_Z) have been confirmed to be produced as live-action films (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live-action_film).[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombie_Survival_Guide#cite_note-7)[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombie_Survival_Guide#cite_note-8) Brad Pitt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Pitt), who is to star in World War Z (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_Z_(film)), also confirmed that the producing studio, Paramount, has also been given rights to The Zombie Survival Guide and The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks and are planning on adapting both of them as movies after World War Zis released, and that he is going to portray Max Brooks in all three films.[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombie_Survival_Guide#cite_note-9) World War Z is due for release in theatres on June 21, 2013,[10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombie_Survival_Guide#cite_note-10) The Zombie Survival Guide is set for a 2014 release,[11] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombie_Survival_Guide#cite_note-11) and The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks currently has no release date set.

[Androidpk]

The zombies look horrible. Real actor zombies > CGI zombies. I usually like faster zombies too but I liked how WWZ had slow ones. To change that around doesn't sit well with me.

[Gelston]

Then you can suffer in your depressing world of no World War Ziness!

[Gelston]

Actually, didn't the zombie survival guide say zombies could initially run, but they eventually get slow because their muscles don't heal, but otherwise go balls to the wall in everything they do?

[Kastrel]

In my experience, the difference between fast zombie media and slow zombie media is a matter of genre, rather than actual speed. Whether you like fast or slow better, fast zombie media tends to be action flicks while slow zombie tends to be more slow paced, strategic, and focus on the human element.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of the strategic element of planning out a long term zombie survival plan, and to be honest, fast zombies are a bitch. As Maddox once said about the remake of Dawn of the Dead:


First of all, these zombies are fast (even the fat ones). Imagine the fastest Olympic runner you've ever seen, now double that speed and pretend the zombies aren't Kenyan.

There is a whole different level of survival skill and physical fitness required for a fast zombie apocalypse, including but not limited to: excellent accuracy shooting very fast moving and small targets, incredible stamina and speed, split-second decision making skills and reflexes, and physical strength to engage in the inevitable slip-up where a zombie actually catches you. Honestly, without those, you are screwed.

A slow zombie apocalypse is no walk in the park, but it can be accomplished by someone more intellectually oriented without the necessity of these skills.

Its also of my opinion that a slow zombie apocalypse can be safely "taken back" ala World War Z (the book) while a fast zombie apocalypse would pretty much require waiting it out, because casualties would simply be too high during sustained offensives.


Actually, didn't the zombie survival guide say zombies could initially run, but they eventually get slow because their muscles don't heal, but otherwise go balls to the wall in everything they do?

No. They are slow and clumsy from the start and just get worse. You are correct about the muscle healing thing though. I think what you are referring to was how they have absurd strength because they don't feel pain and do not feel fatigue and will continue to grab and pull even while their muscles tear and bones break. So they simply allow the absolute maximum of human strength and endurance in a single sitting, because no human can withstand the sheer stress that would occur as the force of their own strength destroyed their arms or things like that.

[Gsgeek]

The zombies in that preview are all on crack or speed they're moving so fast.

[Jarvan]

I know a zombie situation is pretty much zero. But if in the case there was one, human kind would be much better off having slow ones over fast. You may not be able to outdistance a slow zombie per say, but you could get far enough ahead that you could hide or change direction...

Wait.. why the hell are we even discussing this. LOL.

Movie doesn't look horrible.. just not bad.

[leifastagsweed]

I don't know about the believability of the zombies. They look like spidermonkeys! I will say what is really unbelievable is that Brad Pitt would hook up with JoDean Marquardt (http://www.hbo.com/big-love/cast-and-crew/jodean-marquart/index.html)! Nevertheless, I'd probably go see this movie.

[Gelston]

No. They are slow and clumsy from the start and just get worse. You are correct about the muscle healing thing though. I think what you are referring to was how they have absurd strength because they don't feel pain and do not feel fatigue and will continue to grab and pull even while their muscles tear and bones break. So they simply allow the absolute maximum of human strength and endurance in a single sitting, because no human can withstand the sheer stress that would occur as the force of their own strength destroyed their arms or things like that.

Maybe. I haven't read the Zombie Survival guide since about 2004 or so. I've always found slow moving zombies to be terrible. I suppose most of the zombie movies with slow moving zombies tend to be cheesy, horribly acted and cheap as opposed to the ones with the fast ones. I love all zombie movies, I think the ones with the fast ones are a little more realistic/serious though.

[Kastrel]

Maybe. I haven't read the Zombie Survival guide since about 2004 or so. I've always found slow moving zombies to be terrible. I suppose most of the zombie movies with slow moving zombies tend to be cheesy, horribly acted and cheap as opposed to the ones with the fast ones. I love all zombie movies, I think the ones with the fast ones are a little more realistic/serious though.

I can assure you, Max Brooks zombies have been and have always been slow type. Some people like slow, some like fast.

However, I can tell you that the opinion that zombie movies with slow zombies are considered to be the "cheesy, horribly acted and cheap" is the minority. That opinion is usually reserved for the movies with fast zombies, at least from the zombie fan community. It may be the case that there are more "cheap B movie quality slow zombie" films because that genre is much older and has time to be mimicked constantly for bad horror, but the heart of the genre (and the good ones, film or otherwise) are exceptional. I'd say 28 Days Later is the only fast zombie movie that got much respect, while Left 4 Dead is one of the few games that did the same.

[TheEschaton]

The thing about slow zombies is that it's rarely the zombies that are the scary ordeal, it's the creeping dread.

[Kitsun]

I can appreciate how the zombies in this movie are moving in a way that shows they don't care about anything but food. Actors portraying zombies still can't dogpile each other in the way the huge wave of them does in WWZ.

They look fake as shit but I like them going with the idea.

[Kastrel]

Its definitely an interesting concept, watching them pile up like that.

The one thing that IMMEDIATELY comes to mind for me though is that an zombie apocalypse with that level of "swarm"iness would be significantly more short lived than a normal fast-zombie apocalypse due to how they would crush and trample each other. That part where they were climbing up the wall? That whole situation probably killed or incapacitated hundreds of zombies alone, from the THOUSANDS of zombies on top of them, or the ones falling down and breaking limbs or their skulls.

Thats not to say that they aren't a HUGE threat, and that level of swarminess could bypass a lot of conventional zombie survival strategies, but every assault like that reduces the numbers of the zombies in question by hundreds if not thousands merely by making the attempt.

That doesn't really negate anything, but my inner "long term planning" sense for zombie apoc's picked up on that as a relevant factor.

[4a6c1]

Looks good and I appreciate a fresh perspective on the zombie genre. Agreed that if you consider fast zombies as very very overstated representations of "pure appetite" the piling up premise is more plausible than anything we've seen before. By comparison, why wouldn't the rage filled 28 days later zombies abandon all their other animal instincts for natural preservation etc to fulfill their "pure rage". They should have piled up too just to reach their objectives. I love anything that makes me question everything else.

[Gelston]

However, I can tell you that the opinion that zombie movies with slow zombies are considered to be the "cheesy, horribly acted and cheap" is the minority. That opinion is usually reserved for the movies with fast zombies, at least from the zombie fan community. It may be the case that there are more "cheap B movie quality slow zombie" films because that genre is much older and has time to be mimicked constantly for bad horror, but the heart of the genre (and the good ones, film or otherwise) are exceptional. I'd say 28 Days Later is the only fast zombie movie that got much respect, while Left 4 Dead is one of the few games that did the same.

Mmm... Like the newest Dawn of the Dead had fast zombies... I think that one was done better than Land of the Dead, for example. Most zombie movies suffer from insane cheesiness, but stuff like 28 Days later pops out as good(Although you could argue they weren't zombies in 28 days/weeks). Resident Evil was just shit, hell, they were basically just mutated crap after the first one.

As for me being a minority, well...

1Dawn of the Dead (2004) (http://movies.amctv.com/movie/288624/Dawn-of-the-Dead/overview)
Zack Snyder's remake stuck to the original's outline but featured sprinting zombies.52259571
2Dawn of the Dead (1978) (http://movies.amctv.com/movie/12579/Dawn-of-the-Dead/overview)
Romero's 1978 sequel to Night of the Living Dead thrilled critics with its critique of consumer culture; horror fans loved the mayhem.52169100
3Night of the Living Dead (http://movies.amctv.com/movie/35311/Night-of-the-Living-Dead/overview)
George A. Romero attended the birth of the cannibal zombie, and here's the movie that spawned a thousand nightmares.51449274
428 Days Later (http://movies.amctv.com/movie/276152/28-Days-Later/overview)
They may not be dead, but the infected walk (okay, run) like zombies, howl like zombies, and eat like zombies.

The top one is fast, the second and third are slow, the 4th is fast. The bottom ones seem to be a mixture of the different types too however.

http://movies.amctv.com/movie-guide/know-your-zombies.php

This one puts Shaun of the Dead first, which is a comedy, but then two fast zombies next... http://www.zombiezonenews.com/zombie-movies-list/top-best-zombie-movies-ever/

And one more webpage... It is pretty interesting: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2004/03/dead_run.html
(It calls thje use of slow zombies a crutch older movies sorta had to rely on, basically)

[Tgo01]

Slower zombies to me make more sense. A zombie is dead after all. I'll admit I'm no necro expert but assuming something could still move after being dead wouldn't they move slowly with all of their muscles and flesh decaying?

Besides realism I think I like faster zombies, just more action I guess. Deaths from slow zombies are usually stupid shit like 30 of them waiting on the other side of the door to grab the person who opens it.

[Kastrel]

Mmm... Like the newest Dawn of the Dead had fast zombies... I think that one was done better than Land of the Dead, for example. Most zombie movies suffer from insane cheesiness, but stuff like 28 Days later pops out as good(Although you could argue they weren't zombies in 28 days/weeks). Resident Evil was just shit, hell, they were basically just mutated crap after the first one.

As for me being a minority, well...

1Dawn of the Dead (2004) (http://movies.amctv.com/movie/288624/Dawn-of-the-Dead/overview)
Zack Snyder's remake stuck to the original's outline but featured sprinting zombies.52259571
2Dawn of the Dead (1978) (http://movies.amctv.com/movie/12579/Dawn-of-the-Dead/overview)
Romero's 1978 sequel to Night of the Living Dead thrilled critics with its critique of consumer culture; horror fans loved the mayhem.52169100
3Night of the Living Dead (http://movies.amctv.com/movie/35311/Night-of-the-Living-Dead/overview)
George A. Romero attended the birth of the cannibal zombie, and here's the movie that spawned a thousand nightmares.51449274
428 Days Later (http://movies.amctv.com/movie/276152/28-Days-Later/overview)
They may not be dead, but the infected walk (okay, run) like zombies, howl like zombies, and eat like zombies.

The top one is fast, the second and third are slow, the 4th is fast. The bottom ones seem to be a mixture of the different types too however.

http://movies.amctv.com/movie-guide/know-your-zombies.php

This one puts Shaun of the Dead first, which is a comedy, but then two fast zombies next... http://www.zombiezonenews.com/zombie-movies-list/top-best-zombie-movies-ever/

And one more webpage... It is pretty interesting: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2004/03/dead_run.html
(It calls thje use of slow zombies a crutch older movies sorta had to rely on, basically)

A good list, definitely.

In my experience, knowing a lot of zombie movie buffs, MOST prefer the old Dawn of the Dead to the new one. However, I personally like both (preference to the old though).

I have a lot of respect for Shaun of the Dead, because it falls into a very strange niche; its not a comedy. Its a zombie movie (a damn good one) with slapstick humor. I would list that up there.

The Resident Evil movies are pretty badish, but thats more because they suffer from video game adaptation decay, rather than being bad to the core. The original games are quite good.

Another slow zombie game that has a lot of cred despite being absurd and over the top is Dead Rising.

[Androidpk]

I can deal with fast zombies. I can't deal with fake/cgi zombies that look like they were lifted from I Am Legend.

[Gelston]

Eh, I call Shaun of the Dead a comedy because I was laughing more then I was necessarily "scared" of anything.


I can deal with fast zombies. I can't deal with fake/cgi zombies that look like they were lifted from I Am Legend.

I don't think the zombies look that bad at all.

[Kastrel]

Eh, I call Shaun of the Dead a comedy because I was laughing more then I was necessarily "scared" of anything.

I can't remember the last time I was scared of a zombie movie. I look at it more as an intellectual challenge. Shaun of the Dead maintained the lore and style of classic zombie survival, with humor added in.

[Gelston]

I can't remember the last time I was scared of a zombie movie. I look at it more as an intellectual challenge. Shaun of the Dead maintained the lore and style of classic zombie survival, with humor added in.

I put scared in quotes for a reason! The generally attempt to have scary moments and such. This one made no such attempt.. And the human v human element of it was mostly a series of jokes.

[Kastrel]

Heh, good point.

[leifastagsweed]

At least Simon Pegg is a better fit with Mireille Enos.