MovieChat Forums > Warm Bodies (2013) Discussion > Look beyond the zombie imagery...

Look beyond the zombie imagery...

posted 11 years ago by edion13
91 replies | jump to latest

I'm a 29 year old guy who truly despises Twilight movies and everything alike. Warm Bodies was none of that. Twilight is a movie tailor made for idealistic teenage girls who know nothing about real life. Warm bodies is tailor made for intelligent and cynical people who have some knowledge of psychology and politics...

The key to understand this movie is to overlook it's zombie aspect. The zombie apocalypse is a metaphor for the dehumanization of our society. The Zombies are just normal apathetic people, who walk through their lives without ever being truly human. They are like the teenagers of today who can only send text messages to each or play on their I-phones, or like the bureaucrats who can't bother to greet you properly when you go and renew your driver license...

They can only «eat a brain» to feel, by stealing other people's thought. Which is a metaphor that means they try to be someone else, that they have no thoughts of their own. Hence, the zombies represent people who are not themselves, people who are slaves to the thoughts of other people, who cannot be «free».

In the beginning of the movie, R walks in the airport, goes through a metal detector with a TSA zombie who is still doing his job, not unlike an actual TSA worker... As R describes his «life»; walking around, not talking to anyone, looking at the ground,stuck in his own little bubble, he wonders how things were before the Zombie Apocalypse... And the next scene shows that things were EXACTLY THE SAME before...

Then comes the girl, who truly is alive. She is a true human being. She listens to no one but herself, she truly is free (from herself). The apathetic, emotionally dead young man, upon seeing her, begins to feel again. I could relate to that.

The reality of our time is that about 85% of the population is brain-dead and/or emotionally drained to the point where they are basically non-human. Modern society destroyed us. Most of those people were good kids, who could feel, who could love. Many of them just feel hopeless, they would love nothing more than to be human again. They feel isolated, all alone, when in fact, there are plenty of real-life-zombies who have some sort of inner life which they are afraid to show...

Others, are just plain scum, they have no more souls, they cannot be saved.

This movie was pure genius.

[–] zeldavortex 11 years ago

Excellent summary, and I very much agree with it. Thanks for sharing! :)

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Thanks!

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] veancom 11 years ago

THE perfect explanation! Thank you!

[–] yusef-ghanima 11 years ago

sorry i'm tired, can't read all of this, but my eye caught the last line and i couldn't keep my mouth shut, yes the movie had an original idea that wasn't preceded as far as i know except with MJ's famous music video. it started interesting and funny but quickly turned into boring serious love story, that cannot really be serious, for god sake romeo is a cannibal! it's a pure crap and cannot be compared with twilight which is not lost between three genres, and i found the first two or three movies of twilight very nice and interesting, specially for my private research in conspiracy theory. i stopped watching it when the hero became a cuckold, but still it's better written and made than warm bodies.

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Well if you were able to read, you would have notice that I also think it cannot be compared with Twilight... And you hve serious mental issues if you think twilight is « very nice and interesting for research into conspiracy theories»...

[–] yusef-ghanima 11 years ago

you don't understand, whenever there is vampires and werewolves it's the underworld of the masonites, and the secret societies, they are all symbols, but i don't expect a freaking idiot who think this piece of crap is genius to understand anything in the world rather than in the underworld.

[–] edion13 11 years ago

bla bla. I know all about the freemasons and the Scottish Rite and lucifer.
I've read the secret teachings of all ages...

Reading books and actually being a freemason is a lot more effective than watching F**ing Twilight if you want to learn about the secret societies.

You are a complete fool.

And Warm Bodies IS a social crtique with a cheesy love story.

[–] yusef-ghanima 11 years ago

i can't join my enemies, i want to expose them. i agree there was good potential for a sophisticated social critique in this piece of garbage but they ruined it by the super cheesy love story, butt hole!

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Freemasons are not your ennemy, and you arent going to expose anyone.

You are a nobody. Just accept it and move on. The best you can hope for is to start valueing your relationships. When you do, when you grow up, you will start appreciating chessy love stories.

Good luck saving the world Jesus.

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Well good luck with that.

[–] lollipops-and-freakin-ra 11 years ago

You should know that what you just said made me throw up in my mouth. What are you, 13? Please take just a minute to read this full review. It was a great insight into our culture. Twilight is just plain creepy as a story and utterly ridiculous in its mythology. Sparkly granite people who eat animals and play baseball? Come on. Yes, Warm Bodies is a little unorthodox as in how zombies can be cured by the power of love--if you look at it too literally. At least the story has genuinely interesting and relateable politics.

[–] yusef-ghanima 11 years ago

no i'm 42, and Twilight is a very lovely story in the first movie. a very good movie that's better than the rubbish of the lord of the rings and harry potter. i hop i made you faint!

[–] carlos_kagemane 11 years ago

you are an *beep* that's what you are.

[–] yusef-ghanima 11 years ago

yes i'm a beep, how did you know! i'm roadrunner fan, beep beep! the hobbit is the real thing, lord of the ring is a commercial crappy sequel to the hobbit.

[–] edion13 11 years ago

The Hobbit turned out to be a series of over-exaggerated action scenes with no insights into the deeper meaning of the book. But still good entertainment.

[–] TruthPredator 11 years ago

Though I like both the movies and books of Twilight, this was a good review of the movie. It only reminded me of Twilight on the surface with the two main characters and the zombie behavior.

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Thank you.

Maybe Twilight isn't as bad as I think it is. Anyhow, I much prefer the cheesiness in Warm Bodies to the Twilight cheesiness. You are entitled to your opinion.

[–] lavianaz 11 years ago

Hi there.
New kid on the block here. 50 y old woman here, with somewhat bizarre taste.

This review has helped me decide to watch this movie.

A sober review without the negativenes.
It is not so much that you liked it as the non derrogative fashion your review was written in.
I am sure you would be as gentle if you did not like the movie.

Sorry for any spelling and grammar errors. I am using English as my foreign language.

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Thank you!

Your spelling was fine.

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

The reality of our time is that about 85% of the population is brain-dead and emotionally drained to the point where they are basically non-human.

I don't even know...what this is. You pulled that from nowhere. What is your idea of 'brain dead'? Where'd the 85% figure come from? Most humans are emotional and are not 'apathetic'. To not be such would indicated a personality disorder.

This movie was a paper thin fairy tale with atrocious writing. The main theme appeared to be centered around romance being a 'true love's kiss' that would cure the zombies, not a metaphor for your idea of what constitutes humanness. Maybe the Twilight comparisons are making people think it has good quality.

BUGS

[–] edion13 11 years ago

So you liked Twilight and you feel offended by what I wrote so you react with anger... So predictable.

The 85% comes in part from the Milgram and Zimbardo experiments. Not that you would know what that is.

It also comes from observing what type of art is most popular with the masses.

It comes from the fact that despite all the knowledge mankind has now, we still have wars.

It comes from observing the irrationality of human behavior.

It also comes from my own personal experience with people who react like cavemen when faced with the slightest type of stress.

And it is partly confirmed by your comment, which shows that you did not understand what I was discussing. You only focused on the part that annoyed you and it prevented you from seeing the point I was truly making.

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

So you liked Twilight and you feel offended by what I wrote so you react with anger... So predictable.

*Facepalm*

The 85% comes in part from the Milgram and Zimbardo experiments. Not that you would know what that is.

I would love a scholarly link that backs up the nonsense you wrote in the original post. Please do.

It also comes from observing what type of art is most popular with the masses.

Wait, so you were able to arrive at the 85% figure by 'observing' people? Do you understand how invalid of an approach that is? And bloody hell, what does that have to do with your claims (people using i phones, people not greeting every single person they meet in their lives, people emulating others, TSA workers doing their jobs,)??

It comes from the fact that despite all the knowledge mankind has now, we still have wars.

STILL? But you said "Modern society destroyed us"...but now you are insinuating that old society has destroyed us. Humans have been waring with each other since the dawn of our big brains. At no point of our existence were we all practicing Buddhist monks. WHEN were we not destroyed?

It also comes from my own personal experience with people who react like cavemen when faced with the slightest type of stress.

And now you've just insinuated that acting like a cave man is a bad thing. So now modern society is destroying us...and so is our natural state. WHEN were we not what you perceive as 'destroyed'??

Go on, tell me what you were trying to say.

BUGS

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

By the way, this "Maybe the Twilight comparisons are making people think it has good quality" meant that Twilight is so awful it's making this lame movie look good (because they both originate from the same studio).

BUGS

[–] edion13 11 years ago

By the way, I do include myself in the « emotionally-drained» category. I am zombieish, especially when I spend too much time on the internet...

But can a zombie who knows he is a zombie truly be a zombie?

[–] edion13 11 years ago

I changed «brain-dead and emotionally drained» to »brain-dead and/or emotionally drained».
I feel like it better describes my original thought.

«Most humans are emotional» Yes! Even over-emotional... About irrelevant issues like their idiot ex-boyfriend or the results of their favorite football team. And they are apathetic towards wars and the bankruptcy of their country, issues that they should be emotional about if they weren't brain-dead.

And if you re-read what I wrote, carefully this time around, you should be able to grasp what the main theme of the movie really is about.

By the way, the 85% figure is not irreversible... Being brain-dead and emotionally drained is not the same thing as being brainless!

[–] Thats_A_Print 11 years ago

I could not sum it up better...

I always say, "They say people only use 10% of their brain. When its really 10% of the people use 10% of their brain." This movie proves my point.

Most people are sleep walking through life!... As a very passionate for life person, I really have a hard time now with how people are in these zombie like states. They are so dead to me. What a bore it is to relate to them.
If they get to spend enough time with me through work circumstances I tend to wake them up with my enthusiasm for life. It is contagious, which is what I see happen in this film.

... End of line.

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Thank you for your nice reply. Well said.

Although I'd like to add that it's easy to see the «zombieness» in others while overlooking our own.

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

As a very passionate for life person, I really have a hard time now with how people are in these zombie like states. They are so dead to me. What a bore it is to relate to them.
If they get to spend enough time with me through work circumstances I tend to wake them up with my enthusiasm for life.

Man this thread really brings out the arrogant idiots with delusions of grandeur doesn't it?

BUGS

[–] Thats_A_Print 11 years ago

Just because I know who I am does not make me arrogant. #McJudgerson

... End of line.

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

Just because I know who I am does not make me arrogant. #McJudgerson

YOU are judging other people in a ridiculous way, calling them 'zombies' because you think you're better than them. And to make it even more absurd, you have the audacity to suggest that your greatness is 'waking them up'. You're just an egomaniac. Nothing more.

BUGS

[–] Thats_A_Print 11 years ago

I am not judging them. It's merely an observation. I never said I was better just more enthusiastic and outwardly passionate about life. Been told by many my attitude is infectious.

The main zombie in the film even said he wanted more but didn't know how to achieve it. He was shown by the female lead how to live and love again. She infected and inspired him. Many people are not dead inside and feel very much but the don't outwardly express it. Some happy people just need to tell their face they are happy so others know they are happy by seeing the look on their face.

Many are raised to not show emotion which is why many cry when happy. This is not a natural psychological response. When one is happy smiling not crying is natural but because a person is conditioned to hide true feeling out of fear or defensiveness the opposite reaction occurs. People often laugh inappropriately when they are nervous or uncomfortable, again a learned coping mechanism not a natural reaction of nervousness etc.

... End of line.

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

Well, that's how you see it. That's what ego does.

BUGS

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Does anybody love you?

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

Why are you just now responding to me? Haven't you had enough of me calling out your pretentious, lame 'review' of this mediocre movie?

BUGS

[–] edion13 11 years ago

I just re-read the thread and stumbled upon that conversation you had on MY thread. I actually find you amusing. Do you want to be my friend? I must warn you though, nothing sexual. I know how people like you are and I respect your right to choose, but I don't want any part of it.

ED

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

You have no ownership over this thread, if you think you do, why don't you try deleting my post? Can't do that, now can you? Let's have a look at your stupid movie review again:

I'm a 29 year old guy who truly despises Twilight movies and everything alike. Warm Bodies was none of that. Twilight is a movie tailor made for idealistic teenage girls who know nothing about real life. Warm bodies is tailor made for intelligent and cynical people who have some knowledge of psychology and politics...

The reality of our time is that about 85% of the population is brain-dead and/or emotionally drained to the point where they are basically non-human. Modern society destroyed us. Most of those people were good kids, who could feel, who could love. Many of them just feel hopeless, they would love nothing more than to be human again. They feel isolated, all alone, when in fact, there are plenty of real-life-zombies who have some sort of inner life which they are afraid to show...

Others, are just plain scum, they have no more souls, they cannot be saved.

You, and the other fool who thinks they save people with their amazing brain are just delusional losers with grandiose perceptions of yourselves. Why else would a person have such an irrational, lame reading of this movie? Thinking humans have been destroyed by modern life, only to go on and criticize non-modern life! Of course you dodged my questions and came back eons later to bug me because you probably re-read the conversation and it re-set the flame. You need to screw your head in and use your brain.

The movie was a fairy tale that was only one notch above Twilight because it lacked a girl with her mouth agape half the movie.

BUGS

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Don't get your panties in an uproar little girl! I bug you because you react with such fury... You are very funny when you are angry.

I'm not delusional. WTF are you talking about? Point out to me where I wrote that I can « save people with my brain ».

Of course the movie is a fairy tale. That doesn't mean we can't appreciate it. It doesn't mean that we can't appreciate the IMAGERY and the METAPHORS. (This IS what I wrote.) Not everyone is a cynical *beep* like you.

Where do I criticize non-modern life?

Anyway, corporations and our modern way of life do make our lives physically easier,I love having cars and electricity. But it's hurt our souls. We've become more and more isolated because of it. I'm not arguing for Bin Laden, I think we can be better humans in a corporate world.

Open your heart to life, you'll feel much better.

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

READ the thread, which you claim you reviewed. It's all there in plain writing, I'm not wasting my time with you further.

BUGS

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Oh you mean when I talked about « people reacting like cavemen » ? That has to do with the psychology of stress. I thought you would know.

Stress is a natural response when an organism feels threatened. It makes the body secret adrenaline, and makes it ready to « fight or flight ». A lot of people easily feel threatened, which causes them to often be stressed out during their interactions with others. (Especially the leftist-politically-correct types.)

When people are stressed out, they don't react as rationally as they do when they are calm, they hear one word of what you are trying to say and make up the meaning of your statements without listening to whole thing. Psychologists call this « tunnel vision ». The concept of cognitive schema also describes these processes.

Since we rarely are truly threatened in our modern way of life, most stress reactions can be described as irrational. Stress was really useful to a caveman running away from a saber-tooth tiger. But to the modern man, it's only a remnant of the days when human beings were on par with wild animals in the food chain.

Now you comprehend what I meant by saying that many people «react like cavemen». It's nothing personal against cavemen, it's just an expression. There was no contradiction in what I stated. You just did not possess the knowledge to interpret what I said in a proper manner.

But why did you feel the need to come here and write about some random review of a cheesy fairy tale in the first place?

ED

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

No, you made the caveman analogy because you have no flipping clue what you're talking about, just making specious BS that you think makes you sound clever (it doesn't). That's why you fled from my last post.

BUGS

[–] edion13 11 years ago

Up to now I thought you were an intelligent person.

What I explained to you was a condensed version of a master's class on stress.

And before you start saying psychologists, doctors and teachers make specious BS that makes them think they sound clever, let me point out that when you talk like this, you YOURSELF become the specious basturd who thinks he's smarter then everyone else.

Hence, you are what you despise people for: some focker who thinks he knows better then everyone else!!!! Which is the reason why you sound so angry all the time.

[–] edion13 11 years ago

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2559860/Online-trolls-really-ARE-horrible-people-researchers-Narcissistic-Machiavellian-psychopathic-sadistic.html

[–] GSmith9072 11 years ago

What a coincidence! I was just reading about the Daily Fail's tabloid tactics:
http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-easy-ways-to-spot-b.s.-news-story-in ternet

BUGS

[–] edion13 11 years ago

How do you live with yourself?

[–] edion13 11 years ago

You did not sound like an egomaniac at all. We we're discussing the movie and spiritual awakening IS what it was about.

[–] Wilde_child 8 years ago

Those bores need love too. You're not special because you have enthusiasm.

[–] MariaWB 11 years ago

For me, it spoke of loneliness. The child again being included in play, the stranger helping with the umbrella. Loneliness is what is sometimes called 'a sign of the times', because we get connected via the internet, but that often leads to people sitting at home alone in front of the screen.
It's of course always bad to generalize, 'cause some people feel more connected even though they sit alone at home. I myself enjoy keeping up with folks this way since I'm mentally ill and going places can be really exhausting for me. So I get to connect more with friends on a daily or weekly basis. And friends abroad, of course! Having a best friend in another country gets easier with Facebook etc.

But yeah, there's a really strong symbolism in the end of the movie, with the living reaching out to the dead and thus bringing them back to life. Someone feeling alone and isolated can be said to live a 'dead' life, enlivened by someone actively including them.

----------

~Maria

I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier
- The Killers

[–] edion13 11 years ago

I agree with your comment about loneliness; I could have wrote «loneliness» instead of «emotional drained» without changing much of the meaning. It's a nicer way to say it actually.

You say you are mentally-ill, but you certainly sound like you have a good grasp on reality. Good luck, and thanks for your reply, I'm glad you saw what I meant.