Film Opening Analysis

Warm Bodies | PG-13 | Rom-Zom-Com

• The film is set in a post-apocalyptic America, that has been destroyed by decades of wars and natural disasters, resulting in a mysterious zombie plague, and is set over a few weeks following the narrator, a zombie named R.
• Firstly, the audience is introduced to R, the zombie narrator, and are then shown the airport in which he lives. R then goes on to guess what jobs other zombies had 'before' the breakout of the zombie plague, before pondering on what the cause was. After showing what the airport used to be like, R introduces the audience to the Bonies, the stage after being a zombie. Lastly, we are shown R's best friend, and they decide find food (humans) in the city.
• The order of events is significant to the story telling as it not only introduces the audience to the protagonist, setting and back story to the zombie plague, but also gives an idea as to what kind of character R is; wry, quick-witted and introspective.
• The events are linked in the sense that R is almost explaining what happened, along with what his surroundings are, but they are still unconnected, such as the fact that zombies turn into Bonies isn't linked to R going to find food with his best friend at the end of the clip.
• The first character to be introduced is R, and he is the narrator and protagonist in the film. We know that he is the protagonist as he is present throughout the opening, and not only gives his insight into the situation he is in, but also explains to the audience what happened and who other significant characters are, such as the Bonies. These are one step on from zombies; R explains "they'll eat anything with a heartbeat", and informs that audience that all zombies become them eventually. They are the 'enemy' in the film, and this is implied by the fact that they are shown in a very dark area, and R says that turning into one is what he has to look forward to, and "it's kind of a bummer." The fact that R doesn't speak highly of them at all insinuates that the Bonies are not characters that the audience should like. Lastly, we are introduced to R's 'best friend', which goes to show R's insightfulness is not the norm, as he and his friend have very limited forms of communication.
• In terms of story information, the audience only finds out about very little, such as the fact that the cause of the plague is unknown, or that the zombies are living in the airport. The audience only finds out what R knows, and this is revealed through his comments and narration. For example, R explains what Bonies are as he passes them on his wanderings, before adding his own opinion that turning into one of them is a "bummer". The fact that there are still humans (who live in the city) is withheld until the end of the clip, as the opening is purely an introduction into R's way of life and why it is how it is.
• I think the audience needs to know more about where the humans are so as to show where they are in relation to the airport and zombies. This would help enhance the audience's knowledge on the setting.