World War Z Myth

World War Z is a film that was released in 2013 and is based on an outbreak of a lethal disease causing humans to turn into vicious, feral carnivores. The star of the film, Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt), embarks on a worldwide search to find a cure and halt the spread of this infection. In the opening of World War Z, an average American family is distressed by alarming news of an unknown lethal contagion that is rapidly spreading across the world. In only a couple days, the outbreak has traveled to their hometown of Philadelphia, and they become forced to flee. What is particularly fascinating about the portrayal of the zombie myth in this film is that they are not the blundering beasts we have come to know, but rather teeth-grinding, rapid-moving,
What this statement translates to is that sin is not necessarily a trait that is a learned behavior but rather, a contagion that we inherit or a disease that we catch. If sin was just an act of imitation, the problem could be resolved through mental conditioning or psychological adjustment, but if sin is looked upon more as a disease, it can only be fully cured by the involvement of an antidote or medicine from an outside source. Moreover, if sin was looked upon as only a bad habit, it would not affect the core of ones self, but looked upon as a disease, it would intertwine into the inner making of oneself. The fathers of Trent indicate that sin causes disintegration of one’s self, destroying of the mind, emotions, will and body, so the sinner constantly functions at cross-proposes to themselves. This explains why the zombie, a creature that is so contained by the effects of a disease is only a symbolism for a human being. In his article “Life and Undeath”, David Denby states, the zombies aren't like us; they are us, just degraded a little. One of the most memorable scenes in this film is of the undead flooding over the walls of Jerusalem. It then also becomes evident that if sin is treated as a contagion that is woven within oneself, that the erection of
In the concluding of the movie, Gerry realizes that the zombies are deterred from attacking if they sense someone who contains the lethal disease. In this realization, Gerry decides to cross the threshold into a lab protected by a vast army of the undead, in the attempt to inject himself with a deleterious contagion. In doing so, he is able to walk among the undead untouched, and offer his blood as an antidote to be produced for the world. There is a tremendous correlation at play here between Gerry’s courageous act and the rather apparent Christ Symbolism. Gerry does not attempt to annihilate the undead on their own terms, but rather, enters sacrificially into there domain, takes on a lethal contagion, and then, through his blood, offers salvation to a suffering world. St. Paul stated that, on the cross, Jesus became sin so that "in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5:21); and "in him we have redemption through his blood" (Eph. 1:7). Jesus emerges as a savior precisely in the measure that he enters the world of sin, to the point of shedding his own blood and explodes it from