Warm Bodies (2013) (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Review)

Warm Bodies (2013) (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Review)
Directed By: Jonathan Levine
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich
Rated: PG-13/Region A/2:40/4K (2160p)/Number of Discs 2
Available from Lionsgate Films

With much of the future world’s population rendered into an undead horde, R is a young, and oddly introspective, zombie. On a feeding encounter with a human gathering party, R meets Julie and feels an urge to protect her. What happens with that is the beginnings of a strangely warm relationship that causes R to start to regain his humanity. As this change spreads throughout the undead population, Julie and R eventually find they are facing a larger issue even as their friendship is challenged. Caught between the paranoid human forces and the ferocious Bonie zombies who are a mutual threat, R and Julie must find a way to bridge the sides to fight for a better world no one thought possible.

Warm Bodies is a film that gets a bad rep due to the fact that it takes zombies and links them romantically with a girl. To many, that sounds too close to Twilight for comfort, but I’m here to tell you this is nothing at all like Twilight. For starters this isn’t a movie that takes its self too seriously, playing up zombie puns and being somewhat self-aware. The story is a romantic comedy first and foremost, but the pinch of horror dashed on top make it tolerable for everyone, no matter if you like romantic comedies normally or not. It also helps things a great deal by having likable leads, from our female to our zombie to his zombie friends.

The movie also finds a clever way of inserting a real antagonist into things by having a different level of a zombie called “Bonies”. These are zombies that are nothing but skeletons and they seem to hate normal zombies and human, but only eat humans. I found this interesting because the walk/run debate is nipped in the bud by having just about every type of zombie you could think of in this. Some of these zombies walk, some run, some shamble, but it all makes sense the way it is presented. Of course, some things were changed from the book and that portion of things a much more Hollywood shine on the film, but they are in the business of making money so you have to look over it somewhat. As far as Warm Bodies as a whole goes, I found it to be a well-made and funny film. And if you are holding off on seeing it due to comparisons to Twilight I assure you it isn’t at all the same in any way besides the fact we have good looking leads in a forbidden romance. But then again that story goes as far back as Romeo and Juliet. The 4K transfer here does a good job making this one look a lot better than it looked before and it wasn’t bad looking in just HD before. So, if you want a good looking 4K disc, then this is one you’ll enjoy!

Extras

– Audio Commentary with Screenwriter/Director Jonathan Levine and Actors Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer
– 9 Featurettes
– Deleted Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary by Director Jonathan Levine
– Gag Reel
– Theatrical Trailer

Quality of Transfer: 98%