Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

You’d be a fool if you went into a film with the title Pride and Prejudice and Zombies expecting highbrow entertainment. Strangely enough however, this becomes one of the film’s strongest selling points. The title makes it quite explicit what one ought to expect; a silly, camp, monster-filled B-movie. What could be better?

At this point, does anyone really need a refresher on the plot of Pride and Prejudice? I realise that may seem like nothing other than the obnoxious statement of an English Literature student, so here goes. The film picks up with Mr Bingley (Douglas Booth) and Darcy (Sam Riley) moving into Netherfield Hall after its previous owners are wiped out in a zombie attack (one which serves as a prologue of sorts to the film but suffers from feeling relatively rushed and cheap). Before long, they encounter the Bennett sisters, warriors highly trained in the martial arts, and Elizabeth Bennett (Lily James) and Darcy are forced to negotiate the tormented road of love whilst facing the prospect of physical torment at the hands of zombies. All in all, a pretty faithful adaptation of Austen’s text then…

Of course, one is left wondering whether such a retelling of one of the most famous stories of all times is necessary. Strictly speaking, the answer is no; at times, the mash up element  becomes a hindrance, with the retention of plenty of the novel’s original dialogue merely serving as a point of comparison with the previous screen adaptations. Throughout the scene of Mr  Collins’ (Matt Smith) proposal, my mind couldn’t help continually wandering to the memory of Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth in 2005 reacting in much the same fashion—such is the danger when handling such a well known intellectual property.

Simultaneously however, the film actively acknowledges the fact that it is treading on familiar ground, referencing Colin Firth’s famous wet shirt scene as well as reinventing some of the narrative’s classic moments. In one of the highlights of the film, Darcy’s confession of love is reinterpreted as a physical standoff, Elizabeth countering his sentiments with equally powerful blows from her fists.

Ironically, if there’s one major drawback to the film, it’s with the zombies themselves. There’s a lot of fun had with the mythology surrounding them and establishing the ‘rules’  of this particular brand of the undead, but ultimately there is something lacking in their presentation

Lily James in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Image: Lionsgate UK

As someone who’d only ever seen Lily James in the sickly sweet Cinderella, I was suitably impressed with the spark she brings to Elizabeth here; it’s a difficult part to take on given the prestigious role it holds in the canon of British storytelling, but she pulls it off with aplomb. Sam Riley is perfect for the broodiness associated with Darcy, but simultaneously isn’t afraid to lend the character a more playful persona that previous incarnations have eschewed. Matt Smith provides the film’s scene-stealing performance, however—it’s a joy to see him foppishly ham it up left, right and centre, and also interesting to see Mr Collins played as a bumbling young idiot as opposed to a creepy older gentleman. Also of note is Lena Heady who essentially gets to play Cersei Lannister with an eye-patch, and it’s entirely as glorious as it sounds.

Ironically, if there’s one major drawback to the film, it’s with the zombies themselves. There’s a lot of fun had with the mythology surrounding them and establishing the ‘rules’  of this particular brand of the undead, but ultimately there is something lacking in their presentation. Despite the fact that a good deal is made of the Bennett sisters as warriors, the only scene in which we ever see them go head to head with zombies en masse feels jarring with minimal fight choreography, the camera angles kept tight and not betraying much more than the occasional swipe at a zombie extra.

this isn’t a blockbuster so the lack of epic conclusion is understandable, but one can’t help but feel slightly disappointed

Indeed, despite a few chilling moments (at one point Jane (Bella  Heathcote) encounters a truly eerie zombie mother and child), the presence of the creatures feels relatively muted, limited to a few altercations that don’t really sell them as viable threats. The film appears to be leading up to a huge battle for the control of London, but eventually it’s simply something that takes place off-screen—we are only shown a minor confrontation in a church followed by a quick chase on horseback across some fields. Unfortunately this appears to be a result of budgetary restrictions; this isn’t a blockbuster so the lack of epic conclusion is understandable, but one can’t help but feel slightly disappointed.

Ultimately however it’s an entirely enjoyable piece of fluff. It never makes any pretension to be more than it is, and it’s readily apparent that the cast seem to be having a ball. So switch off your mind (in a non-zombie manner), grab some popcorn and prepare to have a laugh—Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is utterly ridiculous, and marvellously so.

Director: Burr Steers

Cast: Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcoate, Douglas Booth, Suki Waterhouse, Matt Smith, Charles Dance, Lena Headey

Running time: 108 minutes

Country: USA