Warm Bodies

Since the fall out of Twilight (2008), a series now permanently ingrained in the pop culture, Hollywood studios have been trying to emulate the formula of boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, and boy is afflicted by either being a werewolf or a vampire. You’d be forgiven for thinking that Warm Bodies is a straightforward copy of this formula; however, the originality, charm and whimsical humour of the film steer it away from that fate.

Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy, Skins) staggers around as R, a zombie conflicted about the banality of his mediocre existence grumbling and hungering for human flesh. After an attack on a group of human survivors, R runs into Julie (Teresa Palmer) who sets in motion R’s new found feelings of love and care.  Aside from the problems of a corpse trying to attract and court a living being, R has devoured the brain of Julie’s boyfriend and also decides to take her to a nest of zombies.

The comedy and charm of Warm Bodies benefits from the central performances of Hoult and Palmer, whose interaction with each other boosts the film’s appeal and credibility. It would be unfair not to mention the performances of the great supporting cast involved, such as Julie’s gung-ho father (John Malkovich) and the comically reliable Rob Coddry as R’s best friend.

The final half hour is somewhat clichéd and unfocused, although the film’s humour and entertainment make up for this and keep us engaged. Warm Bodies is another welcome addition to the family of  Zom – Com adding new blood to a potentially dead genre. Seek and the rewards are plenty – Warm Bodies is accessible, charming and innovative.

                                                                                                        

    Conor Nyhan

Warm Bodies is released nationwide on 8^th February 2013.

Watch the trailer for Warm Bodies here: