“I shall never relinquish my sword for a ring,” says Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) to her sister while attending a ball in the horror/romance film Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
The classic Jane Austen story has been reworked to include flesh-eating zombies as a major threat to not only the Bennet family but also all the different social classes in 19th century England. All young women have been trained in the art of defense and the use of swords and knives, as well training with pistols, and in this version of the classic tale Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) is an expert zombie hunter. But despite that twist, he still irritates and fascinates Elizabeth as he does in the original story. As the young ladies of the Bennet family actively look for husbands, they also fight to stay alive in this 19th century zombie-filled world.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a ridiculous take on a classic story that attempts to cash in on the current zombie craze while mixing in a liberal splash of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Trying to incorporate the romances of the classic story while adding a war with zombies only clutters an already full story and is…let’s face it…just plain silly.
The performances by Lily James and Sam Riley as the two main characters are perhaps the only decent thing about the film. Both are sincere in their efforts to portray these classic characters as they are in the original story with the added talent of zombie slaying. What is lacking, unfortunately, is chemistry between any of the cast.
The action scenes and zombie slaying are unimpressive and quickly become tedious. The zombie make-up and special effects are truly lacking. In fact, it seems third rate when compared to the excellent effects and make-up featured on the small screen in the television series The Walking Dead.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an absurd waste of time and should be missed.
GRADE F
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for zombie violence and action, and brief suggestive material
Running Time: 108 minutes
Release Date: February 5, 2016
