With a twist on the classic zombie tale and an oddly charming and somewhat dead cast of characters, Warm Bodies will make audiences laugh with its dry humor and refreshing take on the living dead.
Warm Bodies, based on the novel by Isaac Marion, follows a zombie named R(played by Nicholas Hoult) who craves more than just human brains. Realizing the monotony of his rotting existence and wishing he could remember the pre-apocalyptic past, R strives to hold onto the little humanity he has left and attempts to connect with his fellow corpses to find solace in the relics of a zombie-free world.
R and his friends still have an unconventional appetite, though, and attack humans for their nutritional needs. After one such attack, everything changes for R, as hes compelled to save a human girl, Julie (Teresa Palmer), teaching him that his curse may be curable and that humanity could be within reach.
Warm Bodies gives audiences an amusing and strangely sympathetic perspective on the living dead. Written and directed by Jonathan Levine known for his work on 50/50 and How to Make It in America Warm Bodies has an indie ring to it, brought on by the contrasting elements of a morbid setting mixed in with a quirky score and relatively young and new cast. The cinematography is gloomy, sticking to an age-old zombie theme, yet everything else seems to come to life in this alternative romantic comedy.
The cast of Warm Bodies seems perfect, albeit a little underused, in the film. Hoult and Palmer, portraying the star-crossed zombie and human duo, give audiences a moderately new take on the Romeo and Juliet story. Rob Cordry and John Malkovich also star in the film, adding the necessary and classic flare, although screen time for both is sadly limited. Dave Franco, Analeigh Tipton and Cory Hardrict are also newer and mentionable names in the film.
Though the idea of a decomposing romantic interest and curable zombies may seem a little too creepy and strange for some, Warm Bodies certainly executes the new zombie-look. The film is full of collaborating themes and messages, mixing the classic and modern with the addition of the undead. From romance to drama to a little bit of scare, Warm Bodies has it all and proves that zombie movies can be more than just severed body parts and shotguns.