Warm Bodies

The beginning of the year usually brings out the non-starter films that didn't make the big summer and winter releases. But there's always one movie that floats to the top like last year's The Grey that was released about the same time. This year it's Warm Bodies written and directed by Jonathan Levine (The Wackness and 50/50) from a 2010 novel by Isaac Marion. This “R” rated zom-com bends the bar on your typical Walking Dead munch fest. Like the amusing Shaun of the Dead it takes the typical 20 something blasé mind set and puts it into a corpse.

“R” (Nicholas Hoult) can't remember his name or how he came to wander the airport with the other undead. The running inner commentary is how the film opens as the young man in a dirty hoodie and jeans explains his predicament. Usually zombies are portrayed as mindless animated dead flesh that must feed on live humans. Apparently this zombie in particular has some self-awareness. Eating of brains sparks memories of the victim into the zombie's cortex. R tries to hold onto to those moments of cognisance just for a chance to feel anything. When he eats the brain of Perry (Dave Franco – James Franco's brother) he sees glimpses of Julie (Teresa Palmer) and instead of eating her too, he saves her and takes her back to his big body airplane home. R manages to say her name and relay to her that he won't eat her and she's safe. Julie, obviously frightened, is also fascinated that there's a zombie that is talking and helping her. He convinces her to stay a few days in his comfy hideout with his tchotchkes and other collectables, playing vinyl records. (The musical choices being spot on for the film like Springsteen's Hungry Heart and Dylan's Shelter from the Storm) R's growing affection for Julie also sparks something in the other zombies who witness Julie and R holding hands. R's zombie friend “M” (Rob Corddry) also recognizes that something is different. The Romeo and Juliet romance is challenged by the “Bonies” – skeletal zombies that have gone completely feral and Julie's father, General Grigio (John Malkovich), who leads the militia of the remaining humans behind the protective Green Zone wall.

Hoult as R does a good Zombie shuffle and while trying to blend Julie into the pack coaches her overacting as “too much”. The child actor of About a Boy does a fine job as the angst young dead guy trying to impress the girl by pushing his hair off his blood stained face. Palmer is pretty, competent in a fight, and liberal minded as she accepts the shrugging zombie as if hanging out with the school nerd. There's some good comic moments from Corddry and Analeigh Tipton as Nora, Julie's best friend. This is a pleasant, funny, surprising date movie with Twilight type lovey romance and a little brain eating.
(Review by reesa)