Film Road to Halloween: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

The road to Halloween is paved with good films. Wherein we countdown to the spirited season with a hundred doses of horror. 16 days to go.

I haven’t heard film folk screaming her name from the rooftops, but Lily James has been making some form of progress in the film world following her memorable supporting turn in TV’s Downton Abbey. We certainly can’t account for what all of that extraordinary cast are doing now, one or two have made the splash. That Irish driver was in the awful Bohemian Rhapsody; Matthew Crawley was the hairier one in the Disney adaptation of Beauty and the Beast; Maggie Smith was in a van at some point. Bravo.

Following in the misplaced shoes of the successful Cinderella, Miss James went on to be the love interest in Baby Driver and inform Winston Churchill that the forward-facing two finger salute means ‘up your bum’. Somewhere in between amongst other little parts, was the role many firms dream of: Elizabeth Bennett.

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Only on this occasion, the girl goes wild in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, based on the “novel” by Seth Grahame-Smith. This is essentially a Jane Austen / flesh-eaters hybrid. A ludicrous concept primarily, but let’s not knock it, as the movie does exactly what it says on the tin. Sit through the end credits, too, if you suspect the ending is a little too nicey-nice for your tastes.

Following a rather lavish, eye-catching title sequence, the plot dives right in to period society territory. And with the ladies and gents seemingly already incorporating the presence of the undead into their lives, it is not long before the blood hits the fan.

Elizabeth (James) and her sisters are all efficient ass-kickers, and slice up some zombies when they gate-crash a party, intended for the Bennett sisters to find wealthy suitors. Following so far?

The scene is set, and although a parody on Pride and Prejudice (no shit, sir), that very aspect loosely follows through with the book’s developments and sentiments. That is to say fans of Austen (and other such literary classics) will struggle not to find something engaging here. Even the stubbornest of fans who find this movie’s notion ridiculous.

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In fact, the gruesome brain-dead walkers often have to take a back-seat to the social graces and romantic sensibilities presented in the plot. That said, I suspect Austen would turn in her grave (before busting out of it and roaming the night) if she were to get wind of this.

The whole thing is a farce, but is not to be taken seriously, this can be said to live up to its mindless entertainment intentions. To pull it apart for its lack of an integral cinematic scope would be missing the point.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was by no means my film of the year, not by a long shot. But the title of Guilty Pleasure of the Year had a front-runner.

Elizabeth is, of course, pursued by Darcy (Sam Riley), who is also capable of playing hero by swooping in and disposing of zombies. But their conversing is hard work.

One does find it easier to believe that not everyone has read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice than one would believe that they haven’t imagined or envisaged that the stubborn lovebirds at the center of the story have a good old-fashioned scuffle. Alas, in a stand-out scene, when Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, she is furious, and they soon engage in combat.

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In this ridiculously grand, flesh-eating, tongue-in-cheek version of the classic novel, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy actually do go head-to-head. Following his measly marriage proposal, she turns him down on the account of how he treated her sister – and as feelings are hurt, the fighting begins.

Elizabeth kicks him full force, before hurling books at him, and that is only the start of it as she grabs the fire poker. Some standard martial arts ensues, you know, she gets leg-swept, he gets round-housed. There’s also a bit of swift button removing on Darcy’s waistcoat from Elizabeth, before he slashes back at her revealing yet more cleavage.

You see, there is still some of the sexually driven tension from the book. The scene is rather hilarious and without boundaries, when the bedlam dies down, Mr. Darcy leaves, giving his best wishes in true Jane Austen fashion. Splendid.

Some movies tantalise, some tickle, and some are just polite enough to offer us the light variety of entertainment. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies never hits classic horror or comedy heights, but then it never promised it’s hand in such a manner.