Review of Warm Bodies (2013) by Matt H — 02 Feb 2015

Though not a perfect stamp of Shakespeare's telling, Warm Bodies is a breath of fresh air in the comparison to most recent adaptations. Carlo Carlei's Romeo & Juliet takes itself too seriously, and the casting is questionable because of age and talent. Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet might be better viewed while partaking in the drugs just as our hero does. Warm Bodies is successful as a Shakespearean tale because it doesn't shout it from the rooftops, though there is a slight whisper from the balcony. Levine can't take all the credit; the superior writing can also be attributed to the book's writer, Issac Marion.

Nicholas Hoult brings our Romeo, or as the film calls him: R, to life...well, brings him to undead, and Teresa Palmer takes on the role of Juliet, or Julie. Hoult's portrayal of the emotional hero is on point, and the entire audience questions their sanity, just as Julie does, for falling in love with a zombie. Hoult's R won me over with his yearning for connection and his almost human awkward pauses. His performance is stellar. Palmer reminded me of a blonde Kristen Stewart. Though she took nothing away from the movie for me, she didn't add a lot to the film. Her portrayal of the confused, yet hopeful Julie seemed more awkward than a zombie trying to flirt with a human.

However, I am a softie at heart, so no matter the awkwardness, I found myself rooting for the two lovers to overcome the odds and find true love together, which led back to me feeling conflicted about zombie-human interspecies relationships. Is a zombie a difference species? R seems to be self-aware and feel human emotions, but does that make it okay for us to want him to get the girl? This movie makes me question my life decisions. However, my inner turmoil is covered and pushed away by continuous laughter and true worry and concern for our heroes to survive this apocalypse.