Released on Feb. 1, “Warm Bodies” seems like it is the latest in the teen monster romances, but its sense of humor keeps it ahead of the pack. Following the zombie craze, “Warm Bodies” is much easier to stomach than most others due to considerably less gore and the dominating comedy.
Based on the book by Isaac Marion, “Warm Bodies” is R’s (Nicholas Hoult) tale of life as a zombie who learns to live again by falling in love with the girlfriend of his latest victim, Perry (Dave Franco). Julie (Teresa Palmer) follows R back to his zombie lair after the attack but quickly realizes that he is not a typical monster. Together, they alter the situation between humans and zombies.
Yes, this follows the overdone “Romeo and Juliet” storyline typical to the supernatural love story genre, but switch zombies and humans for Montagues and Capulets. For those that don’t pick up on it, his name starts with R and hers is “Julie.” Coincidence? I think not. Though it offers nothing new in its story’s foundation, “Warm Bodies” refreshes the banal premise with continuous zombie humor. It’s a lot funnier if you think about Romeo with a pocketful of brains.
Fans of the book might be disappointed due to the lack of direct quotes and a few changes in plot. Like the novel, “Warm Bodies” is narrated by R’s thoughts since his zombie form prevents him from communicating clearly, but director Jonathan Levine chose to edit almost every line. His comedy is more attention-seeking with less of R’s eloquence in the book.
True zombie fans, those that enjoy the gore and horror, might become disinterested in the amount of adorableness in “Warm Bodies.” R is by far the sweetest, most charming zombie ever to have existed. Zombie romances are extremely rare, but expect something more on the lines of “Shaun of the Dead” or the novel “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” for teens. It is a self-aware comedy that mocks its genre, which separates it from films like “Twilight” (though Teresa Palmer does resemble a blonde Kristen Stewart).
If you can wait two weeks, “Warm Bodies” would actually make a cute Valentine’s date movie for those who like a little gore. Minimal guts and no scary moments make “Warm Bodies” an enjoyable film for most audiences.
Rating for “Warm Bodies:” B
For more information on this film or to view its trailer, click here.
“Warm Bodies” is playing all across Columbus, including at Gateway, Arena Grand, and the four AMC theaters. For showtimes, click here.
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