Warm Bodies

Zombies are all the rage these days with appearances across all forms of media, but has anyone ever stopped and wondered whether or not these stumbling creatures of the undead have feelings? Director Jonathan Levine does just that with Warm Bodies, a tale of love and romance and zombies.

Blending comedy with romance, Warm Bodies creates a love story between zombie apocalypse survivor Julie (Teresa Palmer) and an undead walker who simply goes by the name R (Nicholas Hoult). What begins as just another brain to feed on soon develops into a budding romance between the two unlikeliest of characters. Not only is their love forbidden, it’s downright dangerous. Perhaps there’s more to zombies than the rotten stench of decaying flesh, though.

R and his zombie friends, such as M (Rob Corddry), aren’t your typical zombies. Sure, they have all the characteristics of zombies but they appear more human, with only their pale complexion and a layer of bluish veins covering their skin differentiating them from normal people. There are also faster, more decayed creatures called bonies that are a tad bit more frightening, but for the most part the focus is on R and his desire to be human once again.

The film opens with an a running internal monologue from R as he goes about his daily routine of eating brains and slowing walking around the abandoned airport he calls home. The voiceover from Hoult is particularly funny, with constant cracks on the zombie lifestyle and awkward flirting situations. R is pretty much a human trapped in a zombie’s body so you can imagine what must be going on in that mind of his.

Not only is Warm Bodies a comedy, but it’s also a romance. By now you should already know that the film screams Romeo and Juliet but in case you missed it, the obvious elements are there (R for Romeo anyone?). The crazy thing about this is that it actually works well. The film does an excellent job at convincing you that it’s possible to fall in love with a zombie, as absurd as that might sound. It has just the right amount of elements from all these genres that it makes sense as a whole. Whether you’re a diehard zombie fan or a lover of a good romance or comedy, Warm Bodies is for you.

On paper, Warm Bodies might not seem like it would make a great film, but Levine brings his A game to the project and gets the job done with a fantastic cast and sensible story. Not only does it have a craving for brains, but a heart to boot as well. There really is something for everyone in this film. 

Be sure to check out our interview with stars Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer!