RECENT WATCH: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

Image Source: youtube.com
The five Bennett sisters seek husbands to avoid being left destitute on the death of their father, all while fighting an impending zombie apocalypse.
As much as it pains me to say, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was very disappointing. After reading and watching other reviews my expectations were already low but I maintained the opinion that I would be seeing this film in the cinema no matter what. While I did walk in with very low expectations, I just couldn’t see past the many flaws of the film. With the clumsy pacing and questionable editing choices it comes across that the film doesn’t know what it wants to be. There are moments of horror, action, comedy and romance all with a sprinkling of Austen prose that don’t fit. Having the zombie apocalypse as merely a back drop the well-known love story doesn’t work. The story would have worked better if it had attempted to adapt the original Pride and Prejudice story to include a more a natural flow between decapitating the undead and proclamations of love.

Image Source: moviestillsDB.com
Apart from Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy, there is no character development. Of course these two characters are the protagonists but anyone who has seen or read any other Pride and Prejudice will know the personalities of the supporting characters and their importance to the story. On the whole, the cast did their best with their characters; I specifically liked Matt Smith as Mr Collins and Charles Dance as Mr Bennett. Even with the array acting talent the delivery of the Austen dialogue is awkward and feels like every line should end with a knowing wink to the camera. The ongoing joke about the unlikely plot of the film is run in to the ground. The Bennett sisters crushing zombie brains in petticoats, we get it; now please find something else to joke about.

Image Source: imdb.com
The film is lacking in grace and at times a bit lazy. In the first big fight scene with all of the Bennett sisters the action is hard to follow and so cartoonish that it becomes boring. Also, five kills in and not one of the swords had blood on it which was seriously distracting.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is less ‘Bloody Lovely’ and more ‘Pretty Terrible’. While we can applaud the attempt at something original, I’m afraid Jane Austen will be turning in her grave at this adaptation of her best loved novel.