Movie Review Madness - Pride and Prejudice AND Zombies

If you have never read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, well shame on you. It’s a literary classic in a good way. And if the movie version doesn’t bring to mind Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy…well, never mind. This just isn’t for you. But…if you are all things Austen, then make haste to see Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  What sounds horribly wrong actually works. Seth Grahame-Smith did the mash-up version. He was loyal to the book and language and threw in a zombie apocalypse for good measure. The book was quite humorous and now on the big screen, it is a kick-ass tale from the 1800s.

Elizabeth Bennet (the lovely Lily James) is “a ruthless slayer of the undead hordes” (Time mag.). She and her four sisters still seek husbands to ensure financial security, and much of the movie still embraces the manners and morals of the time. Elizabeth meets her match with Sam Riley’s Darcy – together they pinwheel through the air wielding weapons. Their swordplay and wordplay prove to be electric.  Elizabeth looks out for her older sister Jane (charming Bella Heathcote) who must marry first and falls for the dashing new neighbor. But are the Bennets worthy? There’s quite the dance, but love indeed wins out and zombies are slayed too.

Intelligence is key to the Austen primer. Fortunately “our Elizabeth is fully capable of taking care of herself, but it’s still nice to have a man around the house, especially when zombies are afoot.” (Time)

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a lark in all the good ways.