Warm Bodies

Love can be a bitch. Especially when you're crushing on someone who has only become single recently due to you eating the brains of their boyfriend. Warm Bodies takes a highly unusual approach to a new romance and makes it fun and humorous for the audience.

Nicholas Hoult stars as "R" a lonely zombie whose only interaction with another human being (dead or living) is a series of grunts with another member of the undead. He's sick of being alone, and after laying his eyes on Julie (Teresa Palmer), he may have his chance to feel more like a living, breathing person. There's only a few issues; he's dead, she's obviously not. He's responsible for the death of her boyfriend. The dead want Julie dead. The living want R dead (for good). And there's a bunch of other creatures called bonies that will eat anything regardless of it's alive or not.

What's suprising about Warm Bodies is how it doesn't shoot to be scary. The previews indicate that it would be another Shaun of the Dead type of horror movie with laughs in between the scares, but I feel like Warm Bodies doesn't aim to be scary. Granted, the hungry undead isn't the lightest subject and there are several scenes of them getting fed, the movie doesn't feel frightening at all. I was impressed by how funny Warm Bodies was. Hoult is stellar as R. The narration scenes alone hit the comedic nail on the head. Also Julie's best friend played by Analeigh Tipton (from ANTM & Crazy Stupid Love) & Rob Corddry as M (who is R's best friend) bring the funnies into their supporting roles.

Warm Bodies actually proves that the undead can have a heart as well. Even when the movie starts veering towards the gooey direction, it's done well enough that it actually manages to be quite sweet without going into overkill. Scenes that could have felt lame or groan-worthy are done in ways which avoid those directions. Even though you know where it's going, it's still a ton of fun to watch. The director; Jonathan Levine (who also directed the stellar 50/50 and effective All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) shines with giving his movies a heart and a brain, even when the main subject is as dead as a doorknob.

3/4