Warm Bodies: A Review (…or what can pass for a review since I am blind to its weaknesses)

Finally saw “Warm Bodies” — and…. IT. IS. SO. GOOD.

A few posts back, I was going on and on about the movie, “Warm Bodies” while wishing that it will be shown here in Manila. Apparently, the Philippines has enough teenage hormones to warrant a screening.

I was finally able to catch it, the first movie I finally got to see after a very loooong time (the last one was Avengers). And yes, while my age betrays the fact that I am no longer part of its original target demographics, my propensity to chase after lithe pretty boys is strong.

Okay, so what are the movie’s strongest come-ons:

1. The story – Yes, it is about a zombie and a human girl who falls in love, ultimately reversing the course of the zombie apocalypse. Any similarities to a certain movie about sparkly supernaturals ends there–and in the production company both movies share. The dialogues — well, actually — more of the monologues by the lead character “R”, a reanimated corpse are purely genius. It is witty and self-deprecating. It is sarcastic and touching at the same time. As always, R’s monologue at the beginning of the movie simply kills it. For me, the monologue basically set the tone of the whole story. This is not just an inventive love story meant to make teen girls swoon, this is a love story that has…erm…brains.

2. Romeo + Juliet + Edward Scissorhands? – any story that references R + J surely has my vote. But in order to keep the story fresh, the brilliant (and young) film maker, Jonathan Levine decided to reference Edward Scissorhands — which lent a gothic yet sweet (never knew I will use the word “sweet” to describe a zombie movie) vibe to the film.

3. NICHOLAS ‘EFFIN HOULT – I refuse to believe that this was the same cherub-faced little kid in “About a Boy.” He is so freaking gorgeous and HE ACTS VERY WELL. Maybe, it is safe to say that it’s Nicholas’ adorable take on “R” that contributed to the film being that good. Showing that it is possible to chew brains while looking conflictedly in-love, Nicholas nails it every time. He was able to deliver the subtle changes in “R” as he falls more in more with Julie.

4. The Other Cast – Teresa Palmer shows that falling in love with a gorgeous (albeit not-quite-alive) man can be done in a level-headed manner. Other supporting casts are also brilliant, particularly Rob Coddry (brilliant as “M”) and Analeigh Tipton (yeah, former contestant of ANTM) as Julie’s best friend, Nora. John Malkovich gives gravity to the cast as the father of Julie, who also heads the survivors.

5. The Soundtrack – for a zombie, “R” has a wicked taste in music. As an undead hoarder, “R” likes to collect stuff which he keeps inside his plane. Included in the stuff inside is a cool collection of old 45s from Guns N Roses, among other music heavy weights. Playing “Pretty Woman” during the make-over scene is just too funny for words. Apparently, “R” likes music because it makes him feel more alive.

The CONS:
Honestly, I am blind to this movie’s faults. Though of course, there’s this suspension of disbelief like, if Julie really wanted to escape why didn’t she just go and use the car while she and R was playing around the airport using the old convertible? Or, during that time, where were the other zombies littering the tarmac? Except for the zombie little girl and zombie little boy, who were watching from afar, where are the others? Or better yet, where are the Boneys?

In spite its frailties, “Warm Bodies” is a good movie which allows you to feel giddy and scared at the same time. It’s a nice output and its dark humor effectively makes it more than a just teen movie. If the five points weren’t enough to convince you to watch it, how about Nicholas Hoult’s deep, blue eyes?