It is a truth universally acknowledged that a movie with plus signs in the title is going to be a total mess. And Pride + Prejudice + Zombies was, indeed, a TOTAL mess. Although it had moments of genius.
Sally Phillips was possibly the most entertaining thing in the movie as a dithering, drunk and hilariously rude Mrs Bennett. You know Sally Phillips! One of those British comedy actors who’s in EVERYTHING. She’s the one in Bridget Jones’ Diary who shouts “come the fuck on Bridget!” Anyway she was wonderfully superficial, less concerned about impending necropocalypse and more with marrying her daughters off to appropriate suitors, in a surreal parody of the novel.
The Bennett daughters were played by a suitably giggly group of up-and-coming British actors. They were headed up by Lily James, who looks on course to be the next Keira Knightley. She did a great job actually, getting a brilliant balance between classic corset-busting fluff and Lara Croft-esque zombie-splatting REALNESS. YAAAS Elizabeth Bennett! Come throooughh! Snaps for Liz! Ugh, no.
Lena Headey was in it too, which is basically the only reason I went to see the film. But she’s on screen for a total of around two and a half minutes. So. Bit of a let down really.
One thing that WAS great about it all was a recurring theme of intelligent, strong women literally riding to the rescue of dumb, pretty men. It seems to be on trend in Hollywood at the moment, which can only be good. It sounds silly upholding Pride + Prejudice + Zombies as an example of feminism, but in a way, representation of women in a goofy big budget action movie is far more important than in a left wing indie flick. The mainstream twits who watch this sort of thing are exactly the sort of people who need to see women in positions of power.
On a lighter note, the contrast of themes was at times absolutely hilarious, and of course that’s the point. Zombies getting their heads squished in at society balls while distinguished ladies stood at the sidelines tittering. Elizabeth Bennett brushing her sister’s hair before polishing her pistol. Writer/director (Burr Steers) does quite well at luring you into the pastoral pathetic fallacy and swishing petticoats of Pride & Prejudice, to the point where you forget which movie you’re in. Then a zombie pops up as the hors d’oeuvres are being served and everything descends back into horror movie gore fest nonsense! It’s completely insane. Perhaps a little too insane. The end result, rather than being funny, is a little jarring.
It may be because the movie never makes its mind up. It’s never quite campy and funny enough to be a horror spoof in the vein of Shaun Of The Dead or Slither (which is what I was personally expecting, and would have loved). But it’s never quite serious enough to be a proper horror either. Which means it’s what…a period drama with zombies? To be fair, that IS exactly what it says on the tin.
• Pride + Prejudice + Zombies is in cinemas now.
