Based on the revamp of Jane Austen’s novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, have critics found this film adaptation necessary for audiences?
Variety: Andrew Barker described it as: “a moderately entertaining film, not deficient in old-fashioned costume drama when it pleases, nor in the power of being clever where it chooses, but awkward and unsatisfying.”
Hit Fix.com: Drew McWeeny wrote: ” As date movie alternatives go, especially on Valentine’s Day, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies turns out to be entirely agreeable, if not spectacular.”
Hollywood Reporter: Keith Uhlich called it: “Lumbering, lifeless and — strange thing to say about a cadaver — almost entirely charmless.”
Empire: ** Nick De Semlyen commented: “This is a misshapen venture, a horror-comedy without much in the way of laughs or scares.”
Hypable.com: Brittany Lovely summed it up saying: “See it. It’s the perfect flick for a fun night out.”
The Upcoming: *** Thomas Unsted wrote: “While the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is flawed in its style and often clunky in its delivery of the narrative, it nonetheless is funny, watchable and, frankly, despite messing with a sacred cow, is difficult not to have liked.”
Time Out: ** Tom Huddleston found : “The result is an odd, inconsequential but not entirely charmless misfire.”
Sci-fi Now: *** Jonathan Hatfull said: “the laughs come with enough frequency and the cast is so game that this is a surprisingly entertaining and likeable comedy.”
Bloody Disgusting.com: Trace Thurman thought: “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is far from a perfect film, and fans of Austen’s novel will probably find more to gripe about than admire, but the fact is that this is a much better adaptation than anyone could have anticipated.”
Screen Daily.com: Fionnuala Halligan wrote that: “108 minutes is far too long to spend on a sub-par Austen adaptation with unconvincing zombies (there’s no real flesh-eating to lighten the load, either, just polite blurry lenses or referenced off-camera action).”
Overall verdict: perhaps mixing zombies with Jane Austen doesn’t quite work. But there is plenty of praise for Lily James as Elizabeth Bennet and former Dr Who actor Matt Smith as Mr Collins.
To buy and read Seth Graeme-Smith’s original take of Jane Austen’s classic tale visit Amazon.