Jane Austen Is Rolling Over In Her Grave...And Craving Brains! "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies"

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

Rated PG-13

Starring Lily James, Bella Heathcote, Matt Smith, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Douglas Booth

Written and Directed by Burr Steers

The Story:

What's the best way to describe the story?  What if you took the writings of Jane Austen, and decided to frame them around a deadly zombie outbreak?

Why yes, that would probably do it.

So all of the players are on the board, they just have to survive the zombie hordes if they hope to make it to the altar alive.

Good, but not great.

That's about the easiest way for me to sum up my reaction to the film.

They made a beautiful period piece, and they intersperse the zombie apocalypse in there pretty well.

However, the film just sort of drags along with fits of brilliance interrupting periods of dullness.

So yes, a typical Jane Austen work.
:)

I don't know, perhaps they played it too straight, but there is no sense of fun or impending dread, two things that often set the best zombie movies apart from the lumbering pack.

Who knows, maybe I was just tired while I was watching, but I often found myself starting to drift when the cast wasn't in peril.

That said, Lily James certainly carries this film on her shoulders in a way she was unable to do with the extremely boring Cinderella remake.

Final Grade:  C+

You've Got To Be Seriously Committed To Go To "Austenland"

Austenland (2013)

Rated PG-13

Starring Keri Russell, JJ Field, Bret McKenzie, Jennifer Coolidge, Georgia King, Jane Seymour

Written and Directed by Jerusha Hess

The Story:

Jane Hayes (Russell) is obsessed with Pride & Prejudice, and her romantic life is forever ruined because of Darcy.  Spending her entire savings, she goes on a trip to England where there is a resort run to make you feel like you are living in the time-period that Austen wrote about.  However, it is very real and soon the lines between what is real and what is fake are blurred for Jane as she is torn between two gentlemen (Field & McKenzie) and how she really feels about them.

Poor Jane cannot afford to be much more than a poor girl on her trip, but she is befriended by Ms. Charming (Coolidge) who has enough money to go around and really likes Jane.

Austenland is a clever idea, and I am surprised that there isn't something like this in existence.

And if there is something like this, I wouldn't be surprised in the least.

The costumes and scenery are top-notch, the movie just looks gorgeous.

Everyone does fine in the movie, but this one never really grabbed me enough to lock in and connect with anyone.

It was a good background movie, one that you can hear what is going on, and you're fine if you're looking down and checking your email or updating your Facebook status.

You aren't going to miss anything.

The same could be said if you never watch it at all.

: )

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Cute, but once was fine.  The more you love Austen or Pride and Prejudice, your mileage could vary.