Nicholas Hoult stars as soulful zombie R in Warm Bodies. (© 2011 Summit Entertainment, LLC)
Zombies have feelings too. Based on the novel by Isaac Marion and written and directed by Jonathan Levine (50/50), Warm Bodies is a clever apocalyptic comedy that opens with the voiceover narration of R, a young walking-dead guy played to perfection by Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy). R, who can’t recall his name, is whining about looking pale, having poor posture, moving too slowly, and not getting out enough. He lives in an abandoned airplane in a deserted airport that the zombies call home.
Teresa Palmer and Nicholas Hoult in Warm Bodies. (© 2011 Summit Entertainment, LLC)
Yes, it’s the apocalypse, and R is our quirky, ponderous guide in this dark new world populated by the undead who devour the living for sustenance.
Rob Corddry and Nicholas Hoult in Warm Bodies. (© 2011 Summit Entertainment, LLC)
Sadly, the rich sense of humor only dominates the first half of the movie, but it’s worth it. Warm Bodies is also a love story. It’s also a hopeful tale about how people can change and grow, even when they’re dead. B+