Just when it seemed that the world had had as much supernatural teenage romance as it could take, along comes Warm Bodies, a film that seems perfect for filling the Twilight shaped holes in our lives.
The film, adapted from Isaac Marion’s 2010 novel of the same name, aims to tell a more comedic and less compelling tale than The Twilight Saga. In a post-apocalyptic America plagued with zombies, R (played by Nicholas Hoult) is an undead teenager who yearns for a more worthwhile existence. Enter Julie (played by Teresa Palmer), a survivor hunting for medical supplies, who intrigues R to the point that he decides to take her home and protect her - after murdering her boyfriend (played by Dave Franco). The ensuing love story starts off rather creepy, but ends up rather sweet as we begin to discover that R’s human interaction is causing a change within him and his zombie brethren, restoring them to a human-like state. Their love isn’t without its opponents, however, as they must contend with Julie’s army general father (played by John Malkovich) and a group of sinister undead skeletons named Boneys before they can live happily ever after.
The film’s premise is highly original, but ultimately it ends up feeling like a squandered opportunity. That’s not to say it isn’t funny - the banter between some of the zombie and human characters is hilarious at times. Throughout the film, you definitely get the feeling that it could’ve (or should’ve) been a lot more entertaining than it is. Between the mediocre special effects and the lack of direction in the plot, it seems like there is something missing. Perhaps there was something lost in translation from page to screen, as I’ve heard nothing but good things about the film’s source material.
There’s no doubt that this film will have it’s fans, because it definitely deserves them. It’s unique concept is the main pull factor, but if you’re expecting anything more than light entertainment, you’ll be sorely disappointed.
Warm Bodies is in cinemas now.
