At the beginning when Brad Pitt's character is on the USS Argus, he gets all defiant about not doing that type of work anymore. Um, the entire world is falling apart! It isn't like he just retired and was on vacation with his family for the first time in 10 years...
shareThe only thing I can think of is that he had a family now, and didn't want to risk leaving them fatherless should something happen to him, IDK.
I was much more bothered about how the zombies just crashed Philly seemingly out of nowhere in the opening scene.
He came off really selfish in that scene though. The world is falling apart, and apparently he is the best person to figure how to fix the problem, but no he can't be bothered with that type of work anymore...
shareYeah, I def. get what your saying. Perhaps it's the whole "let someone else figure it out" line of reasoning. Not because he was truly being a prick, but because he honestly thought that someone other than him was capable of saving humanity.
That's just a guess, though.
Interestingly, I'd just finished watching 'Band of Brothers' (so spoilers below) again just before watching 'WWZ'.
I think, if Jerry had just been doing work that was truly horrible, had finally gotten his family safe, and then asked to go back into a hot zone, it would be like asking the boys from 'Easy Company' to go back into the fray after the war had ended.
If you saw Band of Brothers you would see how they reacted to the possibility of going to the Pacific. Some were like 'we've done our bit... let someone else do it'... and I can fully understand that.
It's not selfish IMHO. He'd just had enough. We don't know his back-story to know how much he'd gone through, but I assume it was a lot. Enough for him to say 'I'm out' in a time like that, so I imagine it was a LOT.
His previous work was dangerous and apparently he was frucked up over it. I'm sure he was willing to contribute but from the boat with his family.
But to your point I think it did come off as a bit entitled. I thought he felt like his years of service owed him the safety of the boat for him and his family. I also believe he didn't have a full understanding of the seriousness of what was happening.
For me..it was a believable reaction...he is not a fighter or combat trained..and he had had a pretty hairy 24 hours...give him a break...and he did go..and of all the people he met along the way..he was one of the few who survived.
shareIt was understandable. Look what the past day was like for him and how obvious it was that they would not have survived without him so obviously he realizes he needs to think of their welfare when making decisions. If he dies they will be helpless. He thought that being alive would be the best way to protect them.
Then the general clues him up and lets him know that him going on the mission is the best way to keep them here and alive. Little did he know that if he died on mission that his family would be sent to a refugee camp which just incentivies people not giving it their all on missions. That would actually affect the motivation of others. I'd be more willing to sacrifice myself if I knew the state would care for my family, alleviating my top fear.
Exactly, it isn't like they just called him along and rescued him from NJ just for a catch up and jokes.
shareAgreed.
share