Let’s start by
saying it’s really hard to take a film, or book, with this one’s title too
seriously. Purists of Regency Era literature are probably crying that the
venerable Jane Austin must be rolling in her grave over what has been made of
her masterpiece. They’d be wrong, because not only does this film steadfastly
refuse to take itself too seriously but I think Miss Austin had a sense of
humor and no small amount of courage in breaking stodgy rules. After all, as a
woman she was bound by the conventions of her day not to be a novelist, the
first editions of “Pride & Prejudice” were published under a masculine pseudonym.
So, ha! Bring on the undead, the Bennet girls can handle them!
From the first
frame of this picture my expectations were well and truly exceeded. Far from
being a retread of the “old story” with a zombie apocalypse tossed in, this is
a strong and original re-imagining of the English Lit. 101 syllabus standard. Apparently,
years prior to the Bennet sisters’ search for suitable husbands, a zombie
virus was imported into Britain from one of its colonies. The noble island
kingdom has been at war with the undead ever since. London is isolated behind a
wall, and a great moat. The children of the wealthy (like Messrs. Darcy and
Bingley) study the Japanese martial arts, and of course they look down on the
not-so-wealthy (the Bennett girls) who studied under the Chinese Shao-Lin.
While gentile society keeps up appearances with whist parties and grand balls,
it is not too uncommon to have a zombie bloodbath break out, if needs be.
Almost surprisingly, this concept not only works, but works curiously well,
becoming Jane Austin’s “The Walking Dead”.
The cast is a respectable
mix of promising newcomers as well as accomplished veterans. Relative unknowns
Lily James and Sam Riley play Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. (Col.) Darcy with
chemistry and agility. The reasonably esteemed Charles Dance appears as Mr.
Bennet and the young but already consummate Jack Huston portrays the piece’s villain,
the ne’re do well George Wickham. Even Matt Smith of Doctor Who fame – I like
Doctor Who, Doctor Who is cool – shows up to add unfettered comic relief as a
clownish Parson Collins.
Likewise, I have no complaints when
it comes to this film’s production values. The costumes, photography and blood
patterns are all of top quality befitting a classical piece with carnage. No
$100M+ marvel, this film’s relatively meager budget of $28M aptly managed to deliver
the goods.
I highly recommend “Pride and
Prejudice and Zombies” not only for its strange humor and overall quality, but also
for this film’s incredible imagination. Admittedly a popcorn film, to be
watched and enjoyed but not thought about too much, and that’s okay, cinema is
entertainment. A quick confession should sum things up nicely: I resisted the
whole zombie fad thing, until I became hooked on “The Walking Dead”. In recent
months I wasn’t sure if the zombie genre had run its course after a few solid
years in popular culture. Frankly, I half expected this film to be to zombies
what “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” was to the Universal monster
troupe, i.e. the last nail in the coffin. This film was not that, but very possibly
a healthy infusion of new blood – the period zombie film. I hope they make
more.
P.S. Don’t be too quick to get up
out of your seat at the end, wait for it...
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