Hide your brains -- the zombie apocalypse has begun!

"Warm Bodies," in theaters Friday (February 1), stars Nicholas Hoult ("X Men: First Class") as zombie R, a shambling brain-muncher who inexplicably falls in love with one of the last remaining humans -- a pretty blonde named Julie (played by Teresa Palmer). At once an unconventional love story and a welcome addition to the zombie canon, the Jonathan Levine-written and directed film is earning plenty of praise from critics.

So before you shuffle into your local cineplex, be sure to check out a selection of "Warm Bodies" reviews.

The Story

" 'Warm Bodies' invents a whole new genre. It's a romantic-comedy riff on 'Romeo and Juliet,' involving zombies -- a rom-zom-com, if you will. Its star-crossed lovers: a rosy-cheeked heroine named Julie (Teresa Palmer) who complains about her overprotective father, and a paler-than-pale hero with vacant eyes (Nicholas Hoult) who is livelier -- at least in voiceover -- than you might expect..." -- Bob Mondello, NPR

The "Twilight" Connection

"Given that Summit Entertainment, the company releasing 'Warm Bodies,' also turned Ms. Meyer's 'Twilight' books into a global screen phenomenon, it seems it has decided that romances between sort of dead boys and living girls is a niche it can fill. The resurrection of the vampire as the ultimate suave lover has its understandable appeal. A boy-man like Edward in the 'Twilight' series may be dead, but he has old-fashioned manners and, unlike his flesh-and-blood contemporaries, is in control of his hunger. R is less obviously appealing than Edward, both less worldly and courtly, yet also more recognizable." -- Manohla Dargis, New York Times

Levine's Way

"Messing around with the romantic equation in unexpected and improbable ways is becoming a Levine specialty. A few years ago, his '50/50' found humor and heart in cancer, threading the needle between a guy fighting cancer and at the same time searching for love. 'Warm Bodies' takes off in other equally interesting directions. What Levine's films have in common is a kind of decency and dignity the characters are given without devolving into mush. While there are deeper ideas being toyed with -- what makes life worth living, for one -- ultimately 'Warm Bodies' is content to figure out what a girl wants. -- Betsy Sharkey, L.A. Times

The Hoult Shuffle

"Nicholas Hoult, as the zombie boy named R, is often very funny, stumbling and grunting and trying to do his best. R explains his feelings in the voiceover narration, so the audience is always aware of the distance between his social aspirations and his abilities." -- Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The Final Word

" 'Warm Bodies' is the first movie worth paying to see in theaters this year. It's an inventive charmer that visits all the typical movie scenarios of young love amid chaos and disaster, but with a new dimension: one of the romantic leads is a zombie. There are so many clever lines and bits of physical comedy worth revisiting that the movie seems like a likely cult classic, but it's more inclusive than that. Even someone who has let 'The Walking Dead' pass them by could fall for these brain-eaters." -- Mary Pols, Time

Check out everything we've got on "Warm Bodies."