Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Movie Review

Title: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Release Date: February 5, 2016
Director: Burr Steers
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 1 hour and 47 minutes
Trailer: https://youtu.be/JWY5QkKH6Pw

My Rating: A
Keywords: Jane Austen, Love, Zombies, Gore, Humor
Recommend: Yes

Short Review:

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly. It was cute, funny, and had plenty of gore. A must for Austen fans. Great idea for a date movie.

Full Movie Review:

Quite simply, I loved this movie. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is one of my all-time favorite books. I have two copies (the nice edition that was my mother's when she was a child and the smaller paperback one I can throw in my purse) and have reread it numerous times. At the age of eleven I repeatedly watched the 2005 movie adaptation with Kiera Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen. My poor hopeless romantic heart has had rather high expectations of men ever since. I am mildly obsessed with the movie Austenland. All of this in mind it was no surprise to anyone that I wanted to see this movie. If you are an Austen fan then I suggest you proceed to the nearest movie theater and watch. If you are not yet convinced, then read on.

Lily James was the lead in Cinderella (2015) and Sam Riley was Diaval in Maleficent (2014). I enjoyed their performances in both of these films and adored them in this movie. As Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy they do very well. If you are a Game of Thrones fan, Lena Headey (aka Cersei Lannister) plays the zombie slaying Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Matt Smith (Doctor Who) made for a humorous Parson Collins.

When I was recommending this to one of my friends the easiest way I could explain the overall feeling of the movie is that its Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Jane Austen. Spunky, monsters, bookworms, and timeless romance. There was also a touch of mystery to keep the story moving along.

While I am absolutely a hopeless romantic, I did enjoy that this was not the traditional boy meets girl, proceed directly to happily ever after. I enjoy when stories are not simply about a girl falling in love with a man and relying on him for absolutely everything: happiness, financial support, personality, purpose. Falling in love and being someone's equal, respected partner has always been more of my dream. Falling in love with someone that is capable of being your best and most true friend. And yes there is cheesy gore and humor in this movie, but Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. Lizzy does not need Mr. Darcy. She wants Mr. Darcy. He does not simply desire her. He respects her. THEY ARE COMPATIBLE AND NOT JUST LUSTFUL. It was sweet.

I have been leery of reading the book since its 2009 publication. The movie had me convinced. I immediately went to Target and picked up a copy. Hopefully I get a free moment or two from schoolwork to read it and quickly post a review of that as well.

Go forth. Watch. Enjoy.