Warm Bodies

Based on Isaac Marion’s book, Warm Bodies, which unfolds in a zombie-infested landscape, follows an undead individual named R (Nicholas Hoult) as he finds himself inexplicably developing feelings for a human survivor (Teresa Palmer’s Julie). Filmmaker Jonathan Levine employs an almost incongruously deliberate sensibility that seems at odds with the movie’s high-concept, unabashedly absurd premise, and it often does feel as though the writer/director is going out of his way to avoid comparisons to the similarly ridiculous Twilight saga. It is, as such, not terribly surprising to note that the viewer is, for the most part, prevented from wholeheartedly connecting with the thin storyline and underdeveloped characters, with the inclusion of a few admittedly compelling and heartfelt moments going a long way towards sustaining the movie’s mildly watchable atmosphere. (There’s also little doubt that the chemistry between Hoult and Palmer, which grows more and more palpable as the movie unfolds, plays an integral role in keeping things relatively interesting.) It’s worth noting, too, that Warm Bodies, once it passes a certain point, gains enough momentum to carry it through to its crowd-pleasing finale, which ultimately cements the movie’s place as an erratic yet passable entry in the teen-romance genre.

**1/2 out of ****