Writer: Ng Suzhen

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Watch this if you liked: “Beautiful Creatures”

"Warm Bodies" is perhaps one of the more poignant love stories of the year. With the leads named R (Nicholas Hoult) and Julie (Teresa Palmer), you get the gist of the predicament of where this love story stands. For those of you who are still scratching your heads over this, the answer is the very classic love story of "Romeo and Juliet".

Told through the perspective of the zombie R, you immediately fall in love with him the moment his voice-over breaks through the silence that supposedly accompanies the slow shuffling of zombies.

Unlike the other zombies around him, R is aware that he is somehow different from the rest and yearns make a connection with anything or anybody. It isn't till when hunger strikes that R finds out his true yearning. In a bid to fill up his tummy, R and his zombie friends discover a group of fresh meat scouring for medical supplies and for the first time, sees Julie and falls in love with her.

And the event sets the ball rolling on how you can change the course of history through the simple act of love.

It is hard to imagine how the connection between zombie and human be established given the flesh-eating history of the undead but somehow R manages it with as much flair as he can muster. Of course, saving the damsel-in-distress does add brownie points to his efforts.

The tone of the movie moves away from your usual zombie fest understandably, given that romance is its premise. It is interesting to listen in on the monologue of R, looking at the world from a (more intelligent) zombie's point of view. At times, his thoughtfulness and sensitivity makes you wonder how R is really like before he became a zombie. Would he still end up with Julie if he was still a living, breathing human being?

Pondering aside, Nicholas Hoult's portrayal of the zombie with feelings is convincing. Starting out as a rigid, grunting being, he slowly manages to pull audience in with his subtle change with every minute spent with Julie.

M, R's best friend played by Rob Corddry, is another zombie not to be missed. In a world where zombies live only for food, it is especially heart-warming in an awkward way to see two seemingly unfeeling beings try to connect but not knowing how.

However, truth be told, despite a shining supporting cast, the spotlight is still focused on the unlikely pair of lovers. Between Julie's father, Colonal Grigio (John Malkovich,) who heads the war against the zombies and R's flesh-loving friends, you sincerely hope that the pair would not share the same tragedy Romeo and Juliet did.

Cinema Online, 12 March 2013