Warm Bodies Blu-ray Review

By: Lynn Barker

So sad. He’s a young guy, hoping to meet the right girl but then, he’s the “undead”, a brain-munching zombie who can’t believe he has “feelings” for a human. Eureka! She loves him too! Now what?

Falling in love

Story Goes:  

“R” (Nicholas Hoult) is a frustrated 20-something zombie who is a little more “aware” than his cohorts who stumble around a deserted airport after the apocalypse. “R” is lonely and yearns for a better future than munching brains and one day becoming a “Boney”, a scary, more advanced zombie; all bone, all appetite. Hungry “R” and the zombie gang tangle with scavenging humans including Julie (Teresa Palmer). When “R” kills Julie’s boyfriend Perry (Dave Franco) and munches his brains, “R” also gets the guy’s memories of love and lust with Julie.

R (Nick) and hungry zombies on the hunt

With Perry’s love memories, “R” starts to change. He connects with Julie and saves her from the other zombies, hiding her in his plane lair where he plays cool ‘80’s records for her, gets her food and continues to gradually seem more human. Julie can fake being a zombie but soon both the “normal” zombies and the scary Boneys are chasing “R” and Julie. “R”’s zombie friend “M” (Rob Corddry) helps them escape. Julie hopes to take “R” to her dad (John Malkovich) the general of the walled-in survivalist camp where she lives, and prove to him that the zombies can change back. “R”’s heart starts to beat again.

M (Rob Corddry) and gang agree to help R

Realizing convincing dad is probably hopeless, Julie ditches “R” and goes home. He’s shattered and his buddy “M” tells him that he too is regaining his human feelings and memories. Finding out that an army of Boneys are headed to attack the humans, “R” sneaks into the human stronghold and reconnects with Julie. Julie’s Dad is having trouble believing that zombies are curing themselves but when a huge herd of “cured” zombies gather to help fight the attacking Boneys alongside humans, it’s easier to grasp. Will the good guys win?

Julie (Teresa) and her human gang fight zombies

Special Features: Tons!  

Audio Commentary – with Director Lonathan Levine and stars Teresa Palmer and Nicholas Hoult is a lot of fun. Watching the film with the actors is a hoot, especially when they chime in on behind-the-scenes moments. Well worth a listen.

Boy Meets Er, Doesn’t Eat Girl – The producer on making the novel into a film. We learn that the tale started as a short story which the producer read online. He optioned it and sent it to film companies who found a director who saw the potential in a cool zombie in love story and wrote a screenplay. The original writer loved it. Cool

R&J – features Nick and Teresa on their lead characters and the Romeo/Juliet story. They talk casting and mention that Nick was cast first. The filmmakers saw many actresses but Teresa just clicked and the two developed a real life friendship. Kissing scene, balcony scene etc. are discussed. Fun featurette.

Teresa and Nick at the premiers

A Little Less Dead -  The entire cast discusses production. “M” (Rob Corddry) on his character, John Malkovich, Dave Franco and Analeigh Tipton discuss why they came onboard. The funny airport bar scene in which “M” and “R” groan and grunt at each other is featured. Nick keeps breaking up laughing. Lots of on set footage here and it’s fun to watch.

Rob as M and Nick as R grunt greetings

Extreme Zombie Make-Over – deals with the special make-up effects used on “R” and the other zombies. How do you make a guy creepy without being so gross that you can’t think he’s still cute? The process is discussed and shown. We see Nick and Rob being made up and an entire army of zombies. Very informative and fun.

A Wreck in Progress – Is the production design, location and set featurette. We see how Montreal was used for downtown scenes and an abandoned airport terminal. The actors are again involved on set talking about their surroundings etc. It was evidently freezing and supposed to be summer in the film. You see Teresa on set with her adorable dog, etc. More fun behind-the-scenes stuff.

Bustin’ Caps – is about the weapons and stunts in the film, action scenes, chases etc. Teresa on running while shooting; actors on guns and stunts. Nick on his “sloppy” zombie version of fighting. Enjoyable.

Beware the Boneys – is about the special visual effects in the movie, creation and development of the CGI-generated Boneys is featured. Very informative and good to know.

Whimsical Sweetness – is Teresa Palmer’s video diary of her life on and off set during the filming. You feel like you are right there with her as she uses her flipcam and talks to cast, crew and extras. Halloween is celebrated in her trailer. Nick takes the cam to shoot her doing her final scene. Very warm, fuzzy and real and okay, we want her cute dog!

Julie (Teresa) protects the now human R (Nick)

Zombie Acting: Tips from Rob Corddry – Okay this guy is funny. He’s being interviewed for a show called “Screen Junkies”. Some of the cast give fake comments on working with him, saying he was “method” and stayed in Zombie character etc. Very entertaining.

Deleted Scenes – with or without commentary by the director, all interesting but cut for time or pace.  There was another ending in which zombies and humans, now working together, meet each other in a long kind of greeting line. Funny but maybe too cheesy.

Shrug and Groan Gag Reel – is the blooper outtakes and they are pretty funny. Some are stunts pulled on one another by the cast, others line flubs etc. Always fun.

R (Nick) teaches Julie (Teresa) to zombie out

Wrapping Up:

We loved this film when it came out. Warm Bodies contains Just the right mix of horror, heart, romance and humor. The actors are great in their roles, effects and stunts are well done. Glad to say that this Blu-ray release is even better! 

Blu-ray Cover Art

The extras on the Blu-ray heavily include all the actors both on set and off for a change, making for a very involving and more enjoyable home entertainment package. You are transported to set with the cast and crew and really feel you get to know them via the interesting and entertaining extras. Again, as we said when we reviewed the film, what’s not to like? Take it home and gift it! We’re going 5 stars. 

Warm Bodies Blu-ray Rating: