World War Z is a 2013 American action horror film directed by Marc Forster. Version 2United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments, and threatening to decimate humanity itself. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $540 million against a production budget of $190 million, making it the highest-grossing zombie film of all time.
Former United Nations investigator Gerald “Gerry” Lane, his wife, Karin, and their two daughters, Rachel and Connie, find themselves trapped in heavy traffic in Philadelphia just as the city gets overrun by zombies. During this chaotic situation, Gerry makes a shocking discovery that it only takes 12 seconds for a bitten person to transform into an infected zombie. In a desperate attempt to escape, the family manages to reach Newark where they seek shelter with a kind couple and their young son, Tommy. Luckily, they are eventually rescued by a helicopter sent by Thierry Umutoni, the UN Deputy Secretary-General. Realizing that Tommy’s parents have also been infected, the family brings him along. The entire group is then taken to a US Navy vessel stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, where a team of scientists and military personnel are diligently studying the outbreak. Among them is Andrew Fassbach, a virologist who firmly believes that the plague is caused by a virus and finding its origin is crucial for developing a vaccine. Faced with the threat of eviction from the vessel, Gerry reluctantly agrees to assist Fassbach, driven by the need to protect his family.
Gerry, Fassbach, and a Navy SEAL escort fly to Camp Humphreys in South Korea on a C-130 Hercules[b] where the first report of zombies is received at this location, leading to an attack on the team upon arrival. This causes Fassbach to panic and unintentionally shoot himself with his own gun. The team is saved by US soldiers stationed at the camp, and Gerry discovers that the infection was brought to the base by its doctor. A CIA officer, who is imprisoned there, guides Gerry towards Israel, where the Mossad had prior knowledge of the virus and established a secure area. During their departure from the base, Gerry and the pilot manage to escape despite being attacked by zombies.
In Jerusalem, Gerry encounters Jurgen Warmbrunn, a high-ranking Mossad official, who informs him about intercepted communications revealing that Indian troops are fighting zombies. Jerusalem has managed to protect itself by constructing a massive wall and allowing refugees to seek shelter within the city. However, the loud celebrations of the refugees attract zombies, leading to breaches in the wall. As chaos ensues and the city becomes overrun, Warmbrunn instructs Israeli soldiers to accompany Gerry back to his plane. Amidst the mayhem, Gerry observes zombies ignoring an elderly man and a malnourished boy who remain motionless on the ground. When one of Gerry’s escorts, named “Segen,” gets bitten on her hand, he takes swift action by amputating the infected limb to prevent further spread of the infection. Together, they manage to escape on a commercial airliner.
Gerry calls Thierry and requests him to redirect the plane towards a medical research facility in Cardiff owned by the World Health Organization. During the journey, a hidden zombie is found, leading to a rapid spread of infection among the passengers. In an attempt to eliminate the zombies, Gerry detonates a grenade to breach the cabin and expel them, but unfortunately, the explosion causes the plane to crash land.
Gerry and Segen manage to survive the crash, although Gerry is trapped in his seat and has sustained injuries. Segen comes to Gerry’s aid and together they make their way to the Cardiff facility. However, Gerry loses consciousness due to his injuries and wakes up three days later after receiving medical treatment from the WHO staff. He shares his theory with the WHO scientists, suggesting that the zombies ignore people who are already terminally ill or injured, as they are not suitable hosts for infection. Gerry proposes injecting healthy individuals with a curable pathogen as a form of “camouflage” against the zombies. Unfortunately, the samples of the pathogen are located in a section of the WHO facility infested with zombies. Gerry, Segen, and the head doctor have to fight their way through the lab. Just as Gerry is about to leave, a lone zombie blocks his path, compelling him to test his theory by injecting himself. As Gerry opens the door, his theory is proven correct as the zombie ignores him, allowing him to safely pass the remaining zombies with the pathogen samples in his possession.
Gerry and Segen reach a secure area in Freeport, Nova Scotia, where he is joyfully reunited with his family. A vaccine is promptly created, serving as a disguise against the zombies. This enables civilians to safely evacuate infected regions and empowers the military to combat the zombies with greater efficiency.
