So, I got to see a screening of Warm Bodies last night. Basically, it's Romeo and Juliette set in the zombie apocalypse with Romeo as a zombie... and weirdly, it actually works. I know it's based on a book, but I haven't read it - I might now that I've seen the movie. The zombies totally steal the film, and Rob Corddry is fantastic. Trailer #1, Trailer #2, First 4 Minutes. It definitely leans way more to the rom-com side and I would in no way classify this a horror movie at all. My wife said it was the best zombie movie she'd ever seen because it didn't have any gross stuff in it. I merely thought it was good.
I read the book awhile ago, and it was decent (especially in the zombie-fiction scales, but even outside of that); extremely adolescent thematically but I don't really mean that in a negative way. The zombie apocalypse was being used mostly as a theme for ossified old fuddies who just didn't understand the energy and passion of youth. Closeminded aged folks being a whole breed of zombie apart. Loving and living again being rather literal on the living again part. Young love defeating old death just by how intense their feels were. That kind of thing.
Seriously: it is VERY good! It's not, exactly Romeo and Juliette meet zombies, in fact that's only a basic part of it (in much the same way "boy meets girl" is a basic plot device, they just add a bit extra to make it more R&J) but it is legitimately funny, touching, and an interesting fun movie. I've read that it's a bit heavy handed in its message, and I disagree with a but: there are one or two scenes that HAMMER the message in. But they're brief. But I'm getting off track: this is a good movie. Better than good in fact. And it is the best date movie if you're both geeky enough to not mind zombies. I don't know, I honestly don't want to ruin any of it for you it is so good. Go see it you won't regret it.
Caught this last night and really enjoyed it. It's fast-paced and quite funny, but doesn't pull back the punches on the zombie aspects. Great soundtrack as well.
I saw it today, really enjoyed it. From what my SO said, they changed a lot compared to the book, but he still enjoyed it also. Drastic a lot of the thematic things you mention are excised for the whole "zombie meets girl" story, but from what my SO said, it would have been difficult to get some of those concepts across onscreen anyhow.
Ahhh, I've wanted to see this since the commercials came on for it. I'm glad to hear most people are enjoying it. I haven't seen a movie I really liked in some time, and lovey zombies makes me laugh.
I read the novel after seeing the movie and agree with the assessment that it's definitely a lot more philosophical and less straight romance than what they did with the film. There's a lot more time spent on drawing parallels between how the Living and the Dead differ mainly on their capacity to hope and dream, but without pursuing those dreams the mundane drudgery of just subsisting day to day leaves few differences between them. The novel is pretty good though, so if you liked the film I'd recommend it as well.
