Helen Murdoch believes that World War Z has been 2013’s biggest surprise….
We’re nearing the end of July and so far the films of 2013 have been a mixed bag to say the least. Man of Steel was the big “one to watch” this year, yet audiences were divided on it and it became one of the most disappointing films of all time. Gangster Squad also failed to deliver and Pacific Rim felt more like a ‘dumb fun’ film rather than the sci-fi extravaganza that we were all expecting. That got me thinking about the flipside and the little gems that we think are going to be awful, but turn out to be great, enjoyable films.
I walked into World War Z with the lowest expectations imaginable. The trailers showed a mass of CGI and more action sequences then you can shake a stick at. But that’s the beauty of cinema, sometimes you can be so wonderfully wrong.
World War Z was not a flawless film, but it delivered as a new interpretation of a zombie film that was thrilling and enjoyable to watch. Five years ago no one would have thought that Brad Pitt would be appearing in a zombie film, but he embraced the character and the story to great effect.
I went to see World War Z out of curiosity more than anything. The film had been talked about for what felt like years, and the troubled production indicated that it would be a shambolic mess. Somehow it all came together and audiences were treated to a summer blockbuster of epic proportions. There were some excellent scenes, namely the zombie attack in Jordan and the opening chaotic moments of the film. One excellent little touch was when Pitt’s character Gerry strapped magazines to his arms and legs to prevent bites – how had no one thought of doing this before?
It just goes to show that even a troubled production can’t stop a film becoming successful. World War Z is by no means the greatest film of the year, but it captured the idea of a pandemic so well that it was hard to dislike it. True at times the CGI wasn’t fantastic, but then compare that to Pacific Rim which had fantastic effects but left many feeling cold as they left the cinema. Although the film was radically different to the source novel, adaptations are exactly that and I was pleased with the direction that they took the film.
Going in to a film with low expectations can be a great experience. Over the years there have been gems that I’ve gone in to and thought I’d hate from Sunshine and Star Trek through to Scott Pilgrim vs the World. However, it can backfire. Going to see Taken 2 with low expectations and nearly falling asleep in the cinema seat just goes to show that sometimes low expectations are just that. But it’s a wonderful experience to see a film and be pleasantly surprised with each passing minute. In a way it’s like returning to a simpler time of film when there were no trailers to affect your viewpoint, you just embraced the experience and the story on offer.
The next film that I’m unsure of is Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity. The trailers have been phenomenal and the concept is breath taking, but can two people floating in space for a couple of hours keep you gripped? I’m hoping to be disproved by this one and be as pleasantly surprised as I was with World War Z.
What’s been your biggest surprise of the year? Let us know in the comments below…
Helen Murdoch
Originally published July 30, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
