Film

Warm Bodies

Name: Warm Bodies
Genre: Horror, Comedy, Romance, Action, Science Fiction
Released: 2013
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Lio Tipton, John Malkovich, Dave Franco

A charming zombie-romance that treats the undead with unexpected tenderness. R is a shambling corpse who falls for Julie, a human survivor, and their unlikely connection becomes an engine for redemption and transformation. It's funny, earnest, and genuinely sweet without pretending the premise isn't ridiculous. For people who love romance but are tired of it being serious all the time.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like a zombie romcom with a wry, tender heart, where the undead narrator's inner monologue does most of the comedy and the rom-com beats land with a grin.

Skip it if you want gore, relentless scares or a grim apocalypse; this is a light, goofy take on the genre, and its jokes and sweetness can feel too soft for hardcore horror fans.

What it asks of you: It runs about ninety-eight minutes and moves briskly, asking you to go along with a shambling hero's voiceover and a playful, sentimental tone rather than deep concentration.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Shaun of the Dead2004

The definitive zombie-romance-comedy. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's love story unfolds amid the undead apocalypse with perfect balance of gore, heart, and laugh-out-loud humour. A masterclass in blending tones.

But Made twenty years ago now, and some references have calcified. The British humour isn't for everyone, and it moves at its own deliberate pace.

Zombieland2009

Apocalypse comedy that finds genuine warmth beneath the mayhem. Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg's friendship feels as real as the zombie carnage is entertaining. Rules-based humour keeps it sharp.

But The sequel existence means people sometimes skip this. It's silly, sometimes very silly, and relies on you finding zombie kills funny.

What We Do in the Shadows2014

Mockumentary about vampires sharing a Wellington flat. Taika Waititi's absurdist comedy finds endless charm in ordinary domestic situations with monsters. Smart, hilarious, deeply fond of its characters.

But Vampire comedy instead of zombie. Low-budget aesthetic won't suit everyone, and the humour is often dry and requires attention.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Warm Bodies

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Gregory's Girl1980

Both films treat impossible romance with absolute sincerity. A zombie and a girl, a hapless boy and an athletic girl—both work because the filmmakers refuse to wink at you. The absurdity is the point, not the joke.

Scottish coming-of-age romance about a gawky boy and the girl who plays football better than he does. Tender, funny, visually alive in a way that feels like watching someone fall in love. No violence, no stakes beyond the heart.

But Made in 1981 and it shows in every aesthetic choice. If you need plot momentum or contemporary pacing, this will feel slow. Scottish accents aren't subtitled.

Fido2006

A boy and his zombie dog, set in a 1950s pastiche. Genuinely moving underneath the darkly comic premise. Canada's underrated gem about companionship, prejudice, and what makes life worth living.

But The tonal balance is tricky and won't land for everyone. It's deliberately strange and period-piece artificial in ways that can feel precious.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies2016

Jane Austen's novel with zombie action sequences spliced throughout. Lily James carries it with charm, and the concept of Regency militia fighting the undead is gloriously stupid in the best way.

But It's a gimmick film riding a gimmick book. The action doesn't satisfy like proper zombie cinema, and the Austen fans and zombie fans each wanted something different.

The Night Eats the World2018

French zombie film that's genuinely unsettling and meditative. A man alone in Paris surrounded by undead explores what solitude and survival actually mean. Beautiful cinematography and genuine dread.

But It's austere and slow. Dialogue is sparse, atmosphere is everything, and if you want plot momentum or character quips, you're looking elsewhere.

Juan of the Dead2011

Cuban zombie comedy about a father and son bonding over the apocalypse. Politically sharp, gorgeously shot, and finds unexpected warmth in the undead scenario. Genuine laughs and genuine stakes.

But Subtitles. Also, the satire of Cuban politics might not land as sharply if you don't know that context, and the pacing is languid.

Arrival2016

Both films pivot on one person reaching across an impossible gulf to another and finding connection changes everything. Warm Bodies is funny about it; Arrival is devastating. Same engine—communication and touch as redemption.

Linguist learns alien language and discovers it rewires how you perceive time itself. Profound, heartbreaking science fiction that treats communication and connection as the highest stakes. Amy Adams is extraordinary.

But Slow-burn intellectual science fiction. If you need action or dialogue-driven plot, this will frustrate you. The ending requires emotional openness, not everyone can access that.

The Humans2021

Both films argue that we're shaped by what surrounds us—Warm Bodies by decay and isolation, The Humans by family and time. Both ask what it means to be trapped somewhere and how connection begins. Warm Bodies finds hope there; The Humans finds horror. Different genres, same question.

Stephen Karam's adaptation of his own play. A family Thanksgiving dinner where dread slowly creeps in. Claustrophobic, intimate, unsettling without jump scares. The human threat is more frightening than any monster.

But Chamber piece that never leaves one apartment. Nothing happens in plot terms, everything happens psychologically. Ambiguous dread isn't satisfied by resolution. Requires patience and introspection.