Blu-ray Review: Clever ‘Warm Bodies’ Gives Heat to Zombie Genre

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CHICAGO – Jonathan Levine is quickly ascending lists of the more interesting young directors out there with “The Wackness,” “50/50,” “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane,” and the very original “Warm Bodies,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD. Merging Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” with the zombie genre, “Warm Bodies” draws clever performances from its entire cast and offers a unique take on what could seem overly familiar at first. The film’s pace is sometimes not quite urgent enough and Levine hits a lot of the same beats repetitively but this a remarkably enjoyable flick, perhaps the sole occupant of the “zombie rom-com” genre.

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-ray rating: 3.5/5.0
Rating: 3.5/5.0

Nicholas Hoult, who has really emerged as a star lately with films like this and “Jack the Giant Slayer,” stars as R, a zombie with a heart. Long one of the mumbling, brain-eating dead, R seems to be regaining his humanity and he could be the future of the zombie/human race. What if the walking dead merely needed time to find human emotion again? R falls in love with the gorgeous Julie (Teresa Palmer) after saving her from an attack. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Julie’s dad (John Malkovich) happens to be the leader of the zombie resistance. “Warm Bodies” is smart, funny, and refreshingly original.

Warm Bodies was released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 4, 2013
Warm Bodies was released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 4, 2013
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

Synopsis:
An unlikely romance between a beautiful human teen and a sensitive undead slacker sets off a chain of events with the power to transform the world.

Special Features:
o Boy Meets, Er, Doesn’t Eat Girl
o R&J
o A Little Less Dead
o Extreme Zombie Makeover!
o A Wreck in Progress
o Bustin’ Caps
o Beware the Boneys
o Whimsical Sweetness: Teresa Palmer’s ~~Warm Bodies~~ Home Movies
o Zombie Acting Tips with Rob Corddry
o Audio Commentary with Screenwriter/Director Jonathan Levine and actors Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer
o Deleted Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary with Screenwriter/Director Jonathan Levine
o Shrug & Groan Gag Reel
o Theatrical Trailer

“Warm Bodies” stars Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Analeigh Tipton, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, and John Malkovich. It was written and directed by Jonathan Levine. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 4, 2013.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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