"Warm Bodies" Review

If George A. Romero found it in his zombie-infected heart to do a romantic comedy, I think this would be his way of doing it.

In Warm Bodies, writer/director Jonathan Levine (50/50) does his best to emulate the horror king by making his own entry into the zombie canon. While Romero loads up on gore and chooses to highlight the experiences of normal human survivors, Levine's take is a bit more original. Based on Issac Marion's book of the same name, Warm Bodies is a comedy that follows R (Nicholas Hoult, X-Men: First Class), a zombie who's looking for something more out of life. He's tired of shuffling aimlessly around the airport, grunting at his friend Marcus (Rob Corddry, Hot Tub Time Machine) for weeks on end. But R's cold world gets turned upside down when he saves Julie (Teresa Palmer, Take Me Home Tonight) from a pack of his flesh-eating friends. What follows is a chain of events that might just bring hope to the entire undead world.

I know that sounds cheesy, and it is, but Warm Bodies is not like any zombie flick you've ever seen. There's not an abundance of blood and guts, and it's told from the point of view of a zombie. Levine's smart, albeit safe, writing breathes adequate life into the living dead, lending star Nicholas Hoult plenty of witty narrations. Even if it doesn't quite measure up in terms of edge, Warm Bodies is still the freshest zombie-comedy since Zombieland.
And as much as I enjoyed the film's refreshing approach, I kinda wish Warm Bodies was a little more graphic. I think this would put a wider smile on the faces of hardcore genre fans while also giving Zombieland a run for its money. For a zombie movie, Warm Bodies is far too tame.
But that's not really the point, is it? Warm Bodies is supposed to be a love story. It's a romantic comedy with horror elements that's told through the eyes of a horror-genre antagonist. The actors all have marvelous chemistry, and they're perfect fits for their roles. That's what sets Warm Bodies apart and makes it so fun to watch.
I think this is the first of multiple 2013 star vehicles for Nicholas Hoult, the next one being Bryan Singer's Jack the Giant Slayer in March. If his charming turn as R is any indication, this kid is surely destined for great things. Aussie hottie Teresa Palmer is also a fine counterbalance as Julie and is as entertaining as she's been in all her other work. (Also, notice the Shakespeare reference: R & Julie = Romeo & Juliet??)

Aside from the occasional schmaltz and a general lack of satisfying zombie violence, Warm Bodies is still a charmingly unique romantic-horror-comedy that avoids being written off as the next Twilight thanks to its smart script and well-rounded characters. It's not quite Romero or even the next Zombieland, but Warm Bodies is still a fun date movie with enough to please guys and girls alike.

3 OF 4 STARS