Warm Bodies

3 1/2 STARS


 I have to admit, there were other movies I wanted to see tonight at my local cinema.  There were even a couple I needed to see for the sake of my "And the nominees are...." series.  However, I had a buddy of mine with me and we decided on the weekend's number one movie at the box office, Warm Bodies.  I have to say, what a pleasant and most interesting surprise.

Warm Bodies was written and directed by Jonathan Levine (50/50).  When the film begins, we meet R who is not only a young zombie, but he just so happens to be a zombie with a conscious who wants more out of his life (I know right).  He basically spends his days sloshing around an airport in a post-apocalyptic world where an epidemic infected most of the population....well, you know the rest of the story.  It's a plot that we are seeing a lot of these days.  However, there is a twist in this tale.  While a group of young humans leave their heavily guarded city, which is surrounded by a massive wall, to obtain medical supplies, they run into a group of the undead and of course a bloody battle ensues and at the same time, R set his sights on Julie and is immediately smitten with her.  He whisks her away to his airport home and an actual friendship begins to develop, but of course this is very forbidden.  Is this starting to sound familiar?  There is a definite Romeo and Juliet going on here.   Another twist to this, as you find out from watching the trailer, is as R and Julie get closer, he starts becoming more human starting with a beating heart.

Warm Bodies is original and funny with a much more interesting and watchable love story than any of these predictable romantic comedies we are bombarded with these days.  Now, just to let you know, this film is not bust-a-gut, laugh out loud funny but you will do plenty of chuckling.  The writing is smart and I thought it flowed at just the right pace in its 98 minutes and if there is a soundtrack, it will rock!  Some awesome throwback songs make appearances.  I was also impressed the young actors in their roles, especially the star-crossed lovers.  Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy, X-Men: First Class) portrays R and does very well in a role that could not have been easy.  You will know what I mean when you see it. Teresa Palmer (Julie) is quite the fresh face and plays her part in awesome form, bouncing from tough as nails to vulnerable with ease.  One of my favorites, John Malkovich was cast in the role of Colonel Grigio, who leads the band of unaffected humans, and played the unemotional jackass leader as only he can, brilliantly.  Rob Corddry was a surprise and a pleasant one I might add.  He brings much of the comic relief of course as R's friend M, as he does with many of his roles, but he also showed some much broader acting chops in this one and I was impressed.

So, I, of course, say go on over and see Warm Bodies.  I guarantee you will leave not feeling like a cold fish.

Thank you and see you at the next blog.