With Valentine’s Day drawing close, couples are looking for a romantic movie to go see. One of the most classic stories, Romeo and Juliet has had countless movie adaptations, so it’s no mystery that the Shakespearean tale is a favorite. But who would have thought that the most recent adaptation would be one revolving around the zombie apocalypse? In the new movie Warm Bodies, the story is no longer one of Montague vs. Capulet, but rather one of zombies vs. humans. This interesting combination makes the movie perfect for couples that enjoy both a decent love story and tales of the undead.

Derived from the novel by Isaac Marion, the story is narrated throughout the movie by the main character, a teenage zombie named R (played by the very attractive Nicholas Hoult). While he stumbles around an airport like a…well, a zombie…the narration explains that he is not like the other zombies. He has emotions that seem like that of a human’s. He can feel, hurt, speak in simple and very jumbled English, and carry emotional bonds with people. However, the only other zombie he even tries to communicate with is his friend M (played by comedian and actor Rob Corddry). One trip for food changes R’s life forever, though, when he falls in love with a human named Julie (played by Teresa Palmer). Oddly enough, he saves Julie from being eaten by the other zombies. R ends up taking Julie back to his cozy airport home, and has her hide in safety with him until they have to leave. At first she’s uneasy, with the idea of living with a zombie not being something too appealing. She eventually warms up to him though when she sees all of his knick-knacks and items he’s found and kept to keep as much of the human life alive as possible. Eventually the two are comfortable, listening to Bob Dylan records in the shelter and trying to piece together R’s forgotten life. Julie’s safety rests in R’s undead hands as they run off, trying to avoid both Julie’s incredibly protective military father and the creatures referred to in the movie as “bonies.” The bonies will eat anything with a heart beat, and this becomes a problem for the humans and zombies alike, when R’s ability to feel and connect with people rubs off on the others. The undead live once again as hearts gather a steady beat once again. Zombies return to their human nature, and both living and living dead must learn to fight together — for the sake of everything with a heartbeat.

This movie, filled with both laughs and cheesy love scenes, is definitely a creative take on a classic story. While all references to the original Romeo and Juliet are very subtle, once you understand it, one of those “WHY DIDN’T I CATCH THAT BEFORE?” feelings comes over you. Complete with balcony scene and small references to characters, this movie certainly does a decent job at staying original. I’d say this is a fantastic movie for anyone, whether it be couples or a couple of friends. There’s something for almost everyone.