Movie Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

I never read the genre mashing novel when it came out a few years back. Although, now, after seeing the movie, I am curious to see if the book is any better. While I did not hate the movie, I cannot say I liked it all that much. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a movie in search of an audience, a mash that forgets it is supposed to be entertaining. It is a shame as the prospect of this type of project is quite enticing. Somewhere along the way, they forgot who this was for and what the point was, aiming somewhere in the middle, sapping away any potential it had.



It starts off interestingly enough with Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) shows up during a big dinner party and proceeds to sniff out a zombie in attendance, using some pet flies. Before anyone can react, he breaks a glass and uses it to cut the poor undead fellow’s head off in a nifty point of view shot. Sadly, the style does not carry through and before you know it, the movie pretty much forgets about the zombies and we get mired in the romantic entanglements that ensue with the Bennett girls.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is just such a bland affair that when Matt Smith shows up, and is actually giving his character some personality, it seems like he is in a different, better, movie. There is no chemistry between the characters and the violence is utterly neutered for the PG-13 rating that it might as well been a family movie. All of the zombie action is cut in such a way that you never really see anything. It is good enough to put you to sleep.

The more I think about it, the less I like it and the more disappointed I am in it. There is just nothing here to really grab onto. It does nothing with the central conceit and proceeds to execute everything in the least offensive way possible. In the hands of the right people, this movie could have been a campy blast. The funny thing is that I would like to have seen what this could have been in the hands of someone like Paul WS Anderson (I really like the Resident Evil films and think he has the right sensibilities for this, what should be over the top fun).

The movie was directed and adapted by Burr Steers, a man with a peculiar name and sensibilities that are not suited for this sort of project. This is evidenced by his past films, which include Charlie St. Cloud, 17 Again, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Not that those a good films, but the show a different style than a Jane Austen/zombie horror mash up would demand.

I was really hoping to at least like this movie. It let me down. Little gore, weak action, bland action, the hook is all in the title and nowhere in the content. You would be best served by skipping this.

Not Recommended.