As first glance, the concept of a mash up between the classic Jane Austen novel, Pride and Prejudice, and zombies is ridiculous, even horrifying, especially to a long-time fan on the former. However, the movie was surprisingly good at times but as cliché and cheesy at others.

In this version of the perhaps oversaturated zombie genre, the zombies are almost indistinguishable from the living until they first feed on human brains, after which their bodies start to decay, revealing their undead nature. Thankfully, the failsafe way of detecting their presence is with the use of flies/maggots, which will land on the decaying organism, naturally. As the movie progresses, viewers learn this won’t do, as the zombies in this film are quite intelligent for the undead. They speak, set traps, deceive, and even wage war on the living.

Other than the gore and violence related to the undead, the movie follows the plotline of the novel quite closely. The main character Elizabeth “Lizzie” Bennet (played by Lily James, who was also the protagonist in Disney’s recent Cinderella) and her sister Jane Bennet (Bella Heathcote) live with their three other sisters, mother and father. In a split from other adaptations, the daughters are not portrayed as having loving, gentle relationships; it is just the opposite: the sisters even argue and outright insult each other. Charles Bingley (Douglas Booth, who I thought was a good choice for the role), Fitzwilliam Darcy (Sam Riley, whom I did not like as the usually dashing Mr. Darcy), William Collins (Matt Smith, who did a wonderful portrayal, may be recognized as the Eleventh Doctor from Doctor Who), and the soldier George Wickham (Jack Huston) are the major players vying for the hearts and hands in marriage of Lizzie and Jane. Darcy, was absolutely ruined in this movie for me. His famous speech declaring his love for her was butchered by his emotionless voice and deadpan tone, though the notion of his undying love for her, unable to be resisted, can still be garnered by viewers.

Amidst all of the romantic drama, there is the absolutely necessary gore, awfully unrealistic fighting scenes, and suspense of zombie attacks. And of course, all of the daughters are expertly trained in martial arts and the handling of swords and firearms as well as the traditional “womanly” arts, such as playing instruments, needlepoint, dancing, etc. In this world, the same handgun that can blow an entire zombie’s head off with one shot leaves but a welt on poor Jane’s hand when it backfires. That’s a world that I’d like to live in. The juxtaposition of the bloody violence that comes with dealing with frequent zombie attacks and the beautiful dresses, scenery, and interior design was quite entertaining.

The main characters somehow manage to stay unbitten despite repeatedly being in perilous situations, while side characters succumb to the afterlife left and right. The fight scenes, especially between the living characters were horrendous, almost reminiscent of action films from decades ago. The green screen was also easily detectable for some scenes, adding the feeling of a low-budget film. In addition, every major gathering or party is ruined by the appearance of zombie, a perfect way to end the night with a little drama and action. I don’t want to give any spoilers, there’s no way a horse could cross a bridge loaded with detonating bombs. The logistics of it all take away from how realistic the plot of the movie seems, though the relevancy of that almost flies out the window when considering a zombie movie.

I’m not expert on early 19^th century England, so I can’t say much on the subject of the accuracy of the clothing, dialogue, or set design. However, the garter-knife sheath, also seen in the trailer, did strike me as a bit odd, though I suppose any attempt to add sex appeal to the normally conservative young ladies in a period movie should be expected in a modern movie. In addition, I did find the somewhat romantic notions of the daughters to be out of place. A daughter proclaiming the importance of true love, rather than marriage for income, for family, or for status, to be quite feminist and radical for a strongly patriarchal society.

Though over-exaggerated and cliché at times, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies doesn’t stray from the main theme of the original novel.

Though inferior to the 1995 Pride and Prejudice (starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth) or the 2005 version (with Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen) in my opinion, I would recommend this movie if you find yourself getting bored with movies lacking action and adventure and if you don’t mind, or even enjoy, a bit of cheesy.

Review by Karina Garcia:

Walking into the theater to watch Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I was excited to see a fun take on a classic novel- and this movie did not disappoint. The movie’s stars, Lily James and Sam Riley, were charming and believable in their roles as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. The plot is interesting; in the early 1800s, zombies are just as common as horse-drawn carriages and frilly ball gowns. Women carry around weapons of all sorts, from swords to muskets. Best of all, Jane Austen’s original storyline is not overshadowed by the zombie threat, but enhanced by it.

The romance between Elizabeth and Darcy is still as heart-wrenching and passionate, and certain characters, like the overbearing mother Mrs. Bennet and the ridiculously flamboyant Parson Collins, are hilariously portrayed and frequently made audience members laugh out loud. There’s also no shortage of intriguing characters, like the mysterious and powerful zombie warrior Lady Catherine and the devastatingly handsome yet evil Wickham. The technical aspects of the movie were a success, too- the gory zombies looked realistic and scary enough, and the gorgeous Regency period landscapes will fill the hearts of history lovers with joy.

There are only a few drawbacks to this otherwise amusing and visually appealing film. The two actors that portray Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley, Bella Heathcote and Douglas Booth, were pleasant enough, but their characters were boring and didn’t seem significant to the story. It was painful to go from an exciting scene where Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth work together to slash through a horde of bloodthirsty zombies to a slow scene of Mr. Bingley once again commenting on Jane’s good looks and her ladylike manner and so on. Both the script concerning these two and their acting could use some work to liven it up.

From the beginning to the end of the film, I was engaged in the story; the beautiful vintage clothing amidst literal blood and guts was delightful. I loved the colorful set of characters, from the dark and brooding Mr. Darcy to the quick-thinking and independent Liz Bennet. So whether you’re a zombie fan, classic literature enthusiast, or simply looking for a fun movie with relatable characters and an interesting storyline, you will enjoy this movie!