The idea behind Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, that of rewriting Jane Austen’s classic novel of social repression so that it takes place in a world full of flesh-eating zombies, is one that should have been clever and amusing for about a minute or two. It’s the sort of thing you hear about, chuckle at the notion of, and then dismiss. It shouldn’t have been enough to actually support an entire book, let alone a film adaptation of said book. And yet, here we are, watching a Burr Steers-directed (Igby Goes Down) film adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s bastardization of Austen’s novel, and the results are pretty dang entertaining.
Nine times out of ten a Pride and Prejudice and Zombies film would have ended up being some kind of bottom of the barrel exploitation farce—something that looks cheap, lacks weight, and fails to connect with the audience in any substantial way, like Grahame-Smith’s other foray into this sort of cinematic myth corruption, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. This one isn’t just a one-note joke though. Not only does it maintain the bulk of what makes Austen’s story entertaining and resonant to modern audiences, and not only does it handle the horror of its zombie elements pretty well, but it’s also surprisingly well-crafted.
The fact that you’re in good hands becomes instantly clear as soon as you see the opening credits. They exist as a sort of live-action pop-up book/diorama accompanied by voice-over narration that gets us up to speed on the world in which the story takes place, and not only is it a succinct way to drop us into the narrative, it’s also a very artful way of establishing the tone of the film. The little cardboard zombies overtaking the little cardboard representations of 19th century England are ridiculous, and they’re fun to look at, but they’re created in a style that makes them feel authentic to the period in which the story takes place. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is built on a ridiculous premise, but it’s a premise that the film nonetheless takes deadly serious. Even as it presents you with elaborately choreographed martial arts sequences alongside stuffy monologues about the proper etiquette of civilized courtship, it still never does you the disservice of winking at you.
If you’ve taken any kind of literature class ever, chances are good you’re already familiar with the story told here. It focuses on the five sisters of the Bennet family, or more accurately on the matter of finding suitable husbands for them, and the manner in which the social restrictions of the time complicate their quests for happiness. Jane (Bella Heathcote) is the oldest of the sisters, and the loveliest. Elizabeth (Lily James) is the most strong-willed, and is our main character. Mr. Bingley (Douglas Booth) is the most eligible of the bachelors introduced, a real dreamboat. Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) is the prickliest, the complicated sort of man who may be more trouble than he’s worth. Finally, Mr. Collins (Matt Smith) is the dimwit of the potential suitors, the kind of obnoxious but practical twit who no one wants, but who will accept whomever will take him. Also, much of the world has been overrun by a zombie plague, and soon the marching masses of drooling undead threaten to overtake the territory of even the richest of the Kingdom’s subjects.
Because the basic beats of this story mirror one of the most heralded novels ever written, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies does just fine when it comes to things like developing its characters and telling a story that has real stakes, even as it layers in its elements of zombie exploitation. More than that though, the film can be pretty clever in how it changes the world of the original tale up to better reflect a time in which an apocalypse is taking place. For example, in this version of “Pride and Prejudice,” instead of a lady needing to be skilled in the playing of an instrument in order to be considered proper, she needs to be studied in some kind of Eastern martial art, so that she can be trusted to help behead the legions of undead should they ever manage to breach the borders of their palatial estates. The film is able to inject some subtle social commentary into its proceedings as well, in that it uses the division between the humans and the zombies to represent the division between the aristocracy and the lower classes, all while exhibiting how the rich make themselves blind to the problems of the poor by separating themselves from them so that they can more thoroughly obsess over their own petty, privileged concerns.
The reason the zombie element works here is that the zombie attack scenes are actually intense. The characters are vulnerable and living in an insulated world, and whenever danger enters into their bubbles it does so suddenly and with deadly effect. There’s a mounting tension that develops over the course of the film as it becomes increasingly clear that the zombies are growing more intelligent and better organized as well. The horror elements of this film aren’t just here to be silly, they’re meant to put the characters in legitimate danger and to keep you on the edge of your seat, and they largely accomplish that goal. Also, on a more base level, there are a ton of scenes where zombie heads get obliterated by insanely loud gun shots, and it’s always a ton of fun to be startled by extreme violence.
How’s the acting? Capable enough in general, but there are two standouts. There’s something about Lily James’ face that makes it objectively better than everyone else’s face. She’s stunning, and she’s charming, and she emotes so well that it’s impossible for her not to be able to generate empathy from the audience. Her jump from the small screen to the big looked like it was going to be a success after she did so well in Cinderella, and now this movie clinches it. If ever there were a prototype for a leading lady, she’s it. Also, Dr. Who alumni Matt Smith plays Mr. Collins, and he’s absolutely hysterical portraying a complete ponce. He chews scenery up and spits it out, and the tone of this film unabashedly welcomes his efforts. Despite the protests of many of my nerd friends, I’ve never given the Dr. Who revival a chance, but now I have a bit of an understanding why they’re all so enamored with it.
When all is said and done, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies really isn’t much more than an intentionally odd curiosity in which classic literature is melded with blockbuster cinema, but the mixing of the two elements is accomplished so much more successfully than you would imagine that it can’t help but play as being a pleasant surprise. Also, one could argue that it takes a story very rooted in the manners and mores of a long dead society and makes it more palatable for modern audiences by injecting it with a little bit of genre movie fun, which is no small accomplishment on its own. One can’t help but think that if the film had included a bit more appropriate gore, if it had recreated the best of the stomach-churning disgustingness of the zombie genre while still staying true to the emotional core of Austen’s original story, then it would have played as being something truly special. As is, the film is unexpectedly fun, but without the commercial expectations of a large studio system looming over its head, it could have been something too weird to forget.
