Zombie film is no horror but rather a labour of love.

Rating: Null/10 (26 February 2013)

Entering the new post-'Twilight' era, a few teen-romance-type films have been showing around St Valentine's Day. 'Beautiful Creatures' is one, 'Warm Bodies' is another. Both films are essentially love stories and both have the same plot. Whilst 'BC' competes with 'Twilight' on a 'I Married A Witch' type of plot, 'WB' has a zombie theme. However it should be clearly stated that this is a teen-romance love-story not a zombie film. The zombie theme is there and provides the backdrop to the story. All the basic plot-lines of zombie films are there, but are cleverly subverted in this rom-com film.
Like 'BC' this film opens with a narration by the male lead. In 'WB', Nicholas Hoult, a tall thin lad, plays the male lead. As the credits roll, he explains that he is a zombie in a zombie-inhabited post-apocalypse world. This world is seen through his eyes throughout the film. This is his film and his world. At the start of the film the zombies appear rather like many stoned teenagers; they slouch about a lot, they wander aimlessly about with hunched shoulders.
By a quirk of fate, male lead encounters female lead played by Teresa Palmer. Fate throws them together as it did Richard Hanney and the girl in 'The Thirty-Nine Steps'. Not handcuffed in the Highlands, but brought together, and hiding together, in this dangerous post-apocalyptic zombie-infested urban world. The result is the same. Male lead however, is a gawky youth, who struggles to impress the more vivacious girl. These scenes are played very naturally, the two leads play their roles well and convince in the reality of their relationship and the reality of their situation.
The situation that is their reality, is the old story of love across the tracks. It becomes clear that this is a modern reworking of an old love story. It is blatantly so and the film revels in it. The standard themes are there, circumstances seem to prevent a relationship, their worlds are so different and the gulf between them too big. Like 'BC' we have the complication of family. We just know that the girl's father is not going to be accepting of this relationship.
The stern father is played well by John Malkovich. Two other supporting parts are also well played. Analeigh Tipton gives a very believable performance as the girl's best friend. Rob Corddry, who this reviewer last saw sitting in a hot tub and a time machine in 'Hot Tub Time Machine', a surprisingly good and thoughtful film, in which RC gave a performance of some depth, in this film, he RC, plays the best friend of the gawky youth. Despite the subject matter of the film, here again, RC, gives a performance of depth that convinces in his role.
Watch out for some scenes that are truly well filmed. The post-apocalypse suburbia is most impressive as are some of the swooping panoramic camera shots. No less impressive are the country scenes, the dream scenes and the gritty city scenes. Rated 12A in the UK, the film, whilst not gore-filled, is surprisingly grim. Dining-out is of course part of the film, and the zombie chase scenes are quite scary. The trailer for this film showed zombie fight scenes, and this reviewer was not impressed with those or looking forward to them. However, in the film itself, the fight scenes were done well and fitted well. Having said all that however, this film is a rom-com, and as such is entertaining and quietly funny.
In boy-meets-girl romance stories it is very difficult to make a film that entertains, holds the tension, keeps you wondering if the romantic interest can grow into love, and how it will end, all the while maintaining, and not breaking, genre rules. This film does all that perfectly, from the very start to the very end.
'WB', like 'BC', is a perfect date-movie for all young lovers, it did, in fact, surpass my expectations and therefore I have no hesitation in awarding it 10/10.