Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Movie Review: Warm Bodies

Title: Warm Bodies

Year: 2013

Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, Analeigh Tipton, Cory Hardrict, John Malkovich

Director: Jonathan Levine

Writer(s): Jonathan Levine (screenplay) based on book of same name by Isaac Marion

Studio: Mandeville Films

Distributor: Summit Entertainment

Genre: Zombie romance

Synopsis: After R (a highly unusual zombie) saves Julie from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion a sequence of events that might transform the entire lifeless world.

Taglines: Cold body. Warm heart.

He's still dead but he's getting warmer

There's nothing hotter than a girl with brains

Dead sexy.

Bros before brains

Love means never having to say you're undead.


Favorite line:
R: What am I doing with my life? I'm so pale. I should get out more. I should eat better. My posture's horrible. I should stand up straighter. People would respect me more if I stood up straighter.
What I liked: It's Romeo and Juliet with zombies. Really, what more could a girl ask for? What's more, I love how the movie compensates for their hero being an inarticulate zombie by having him narrate the voice-over. Doesn't hurt either that R's inner-voice has a knack for sarcasm and irony (see my above favourite line for proof). 

What I didn’t like: Well, for one thing, it was over too soon and the chances of sequel are slim since the ending left few, if any, strings lefts hanging. There's also one scene at the end where you sort of have to tilt your head and ask yourselves if the characters are paying attention to what it is they're actually saying because, while they realize the larger implications, they seem to be rather blind to their immediate ramifications.

Overall:
I loved it! It proved to be a zombie movie where, praise the gods, the zombies weren't lame. Sorry, but I never got behind the zombie thing. I mean, heck, they SHUFFLE for crying out loud - how can you not outrun that?! Plus, there's no ambition to them; they just want to eat you. Is it wrong of me to want my villains to actually have plots and schemes and thus be a challenge? This movie, however, took zombies and made them something more. Sure, they're still shambling, undead, flesh-eaters. Heck, a major plot point with the hero is that he ate (and at some points eating) the heroine's former boyfriend. But they're still people, still have humanity, still want more than to be slaves to their hunger...until they don't and then they further devolve into a skeletal state with a beast-like mentality focused on their next meal. As R says, they'll eat anything with a heartbeat and while zombies will as well, at least the zombies feel conflicted about it. This is hands down one of the quirkier romances I've seen, and definitely well worth the admission fee!

Would I watch a sequel: Yes, but I find a sequel unlikely

My rating: ☺☺☺☺/5

It's currently in theatres so I would definitely recommend making the trip to view it. Sure, Valentine's Day is in the past, but it's still one of the quirkiest romances around at present.

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