North Texas Daily

Preston Barta
Staff Writer

Warm Bodies, 97 min.
Rated PG-13 for zombie violence and some language.
Written for the screen and directed by Jonathan Levine
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer and John Malkovich

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

“Warm Bodies” is the latest romantic-comedy to hit theaters. Don’t let the trailers fool you into thinking that this is another film to scrape off the bottom of your shoe because this is a fun little film that features a heavy hand of action and comedy, well-rounded characters and flesh-eating zombies.

The film opens on a hysterically creative note – a note that never falls flat throughout the film’s entirety – where we are introduced to R (Hoult), a charming and curious zombie who spends his days walking around an airport and listening to vinyl records. He’s far from your typical zombie. R longs to connect with someone outside of the grunts and groaning that he does with his best friend M, played by the sidesplitting Rob Corddry (“Hot Tub Time Machine,” 2010).

However, the opportunity arises when he meets Julie (Palmer), a resistance fighter whose father (Malkovich) leads a human survival project. Julie is a strong and brave yet vulnerable and sweet girl who notices something special in R. Something that could very well change the fate of the human race.

Gifted writer-director Levine (“50/50,” 2011) proves that he was the best candidate to adapt Isaac Marion’s beloved novel. Instead of diving right in and focusing on the action, Levine gives the film room for the characters to grow, which is obviously more than we can say about the majority of movies today.

“Warm Bodies” is a special film that will stick with audiences long after the credits roll. With all these films that have a love story at its center, mixed with supernatural elements, like “Twilight,” “Warm Bodies” is a film that rises above its predecessors and stands as an original and heartwarming feature that gets it right in areas where many have failed before.

Hoult (“X-Men: First Class,” 2011) and Palmer (“I Am Number Four,” 2011), sparkling a sort-of “Romeo and Juliet” type of relationship (notice their character names), give memorable performances and light up the screen together. The chemistry between them is undeniable.

The supporting performances only add to the film’s hilarity and magnetism. Dave Franco, James Franco’s little brother from “21 Jump Street” (2012), does a fantastic job with little screen time he is given as Julie’s boyfriend, Perry. Analeigh Tipton of “Crazy Stupid Love” (2011) is wonderful and provides some funny lines as Julie’s best friend, Nora. Malkovich is great as always as the overprotective father. However, it’s Corddry that deserves the special shout-out. He packs a punch full of laughs and provides the calcium that your funny bone needs.

“Warm Bodies” shovels away all the filth that January left us with and paves a promising path for films for the remainder of the year. It’s a cleverly fun film that makes you laugh while also tugging at your heartstrings. So, grab a date and bucket of popcorn and enjoy this pleasant romantic zomedy.

“Warm Bodies” is playing in theaters nationwide Feb. 1. Check out the NTDaily’s interview with cast of “Warm Bodies”: