In the midst of a zombie apocalypse, a zombie named R (Nicholas Hoult) joins his brethren on a daily, routine hunt for flesh. During their attack on a group of surviving humans, R falls for one of the humans named Julie (Teresa Palmer). He keeps her safe through the attack and sneaks her back to his home, where they begin to develop feelings for each other. It soon becomes a race against time as Julie's family and friends are looking for her, R's fellow zombies are ready to attack and eat her as soon as she's within view, and R is slowly becoming more and more human the more he and Julie interact. Oh, and, of course, wacky zombie antics ensue...of course!
This was one I did not have high expectations for. I wasn't thinking QUITE as bad as Twilight. Instead, I placed it in that Michael Cera-type pool of an awkward teenager in a cardboard-cutout comedic situation with dialogue that's trying so very hard to be quirky, but failing miserably. What Warm Bodies does is take that concept I just described, and, instead of failing miserably, it hits ALL the right notes. Comedically, this movie works. On a romantic level, surprisingly, this movie works. The story, albeit a little corny, really does work.
I really enjoyed our two leads. Nicholas Hoult actually does a really good job of showing an undead being who is honestly trying with every ounce of his energy to break through and be human, or at least interact with the human world. Teresa Palmer also pulls off a love interest who is comforting and sympathetic while also being skeptical of the whole situation. I also must give special props to Rob Corddry, who plays R's zombie best friend. Rob Corddry as a grumpy, somewhat bitter zombie...what perfect casting! He has very scarce dialogue, but the emotions and reactions he conveys through his eyes speak volumes about the man's masterful comedic timing. Corddry was a big, big highlight of the film. If there's any disappointment in this area, it was John Malkovich as stereotypical shoot-everything-that-moves army guy that can't be reasoned with. I was sick of this character back with Avatar! Can we please stop inserting him in every fantasy movie?!!
Irritating Malkoviches aside, let's talk about story. I've heard the plot here described as "zombie apocalypse is saved by the power of love." And, while this is technically true, my argument is that it's all in the execution. Is it the strongest premise? Not by a long shot, but it's written and presented in a really interesting way. I'll put it this way. One word kept popping into my mind throughout the film: "charming." This movie is extremely charming. It's sweet, cute, and heartwarming with a dash of funny. It's not a straight-up comedy, but there's still enough comedic material to keep you smiling the whole way through. Mostly, as I said, it'll just warm your heart.
So, in the same league as Twilight? Nope. A zombie laugh-riot like Shaun of the Dead? Far from it. But, what Warm Bodies does have is a likable cast, clever writing, and a cute, charming story about a girl and her zombie. It's not a must-see, but, if you're up for it, give it a watch. You may just be surprised with how warm and fuzzy you feel watching zombies be zombies. Thanks for reading!! :D
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