I love P&P and had seen this book (P&P&Z) on the best seller lists but had no idea how it would translate from classic period drama to fantasy schlock-fest period drama. Turns out, quite easily and without much adjustment to the plot. Also, it was very entertaining to watch.
It stuck closely to Jane Austen's classic original, keeping all the classic lines and characters; The Bennett family and Mr Collins, Lady Catherine de Burgh and of course Darcy and Mr Bingley. The difference being that there was a 1700s zombie uprising and girls of good character and accomplishment didn't just learn to read, sing, dance and play the pianoforte, sew and carry themselves with refinement and good deportment, they also had to be martial artists trained in either the Japanese or Chinese (depending on social standing) arts of zombie killing.
Miss Jane Bennett (Bella Heathcote) isn't the beauty of previous P&P incarnations, and doesn't have the strong but quiet character as the eldest Miss Bennett, and seems younger and more like her mother, but Elizabeth Bennett (Lily James) the second sister, steals the show on every front. She really does have the most amazing eyes, and everyone would consider her a beauty. The three younger Bennett girls are seen and heard giggling but for the most part aren't in the scene except Lydia's unfortunate elopement. Mr and Mrs Bennett are played stoic and sensible, and flighty and silly respectively, and well, by Charles Dance and Sally Phillips. Darcy and Bingley Sam Riley (On the Road) and Douglas Booth are both great, my only complaint with Mr Bingley would be that he was far too pretty, to be historically correct – but then we're throwing caution to the wind with zombies so never mind. Matt Smith (Ex Dr) played the hapless and silly Mr – pardon, Parson – Collins well, and was suitably ridiculous, but a little too easy on the eye to be as odious and unappealing as he is meant to be – a problem with this production being everyone was younger and more attractive than they should be. Lady Catherine was the gorgeous Lena Heady for crying out loud! Generally the story kept to loose plot – Eliza being snubbed by Darcy at the ball and Jane's immediate attachment with Bingley Collins coming to choose a Bennett girl, Jane visiting Netherfield and catching cold, the balls, Darcy and Bingley's return to London, Mr Wickham's (Jack Huston) ingratiation with the Bennetts and all the subsequent toing and froing of affections. Jack Huston actually stood out as a good actor in this, but didn't have the slimy countenance of classic Wickhams. Then, there are the additions of zombies. All the way through the film we have opportunity for the Bennett girls (and I wondered where the other girls in Meriton were hiding) to show off their knife and musket skills with much showing of stocking and garter in the process, and heaving bosom. Fighting in corsets – whatever next? The fight scenes are good, though John Wick they are not, and you can see that most of the gore and action is actually off screen; blades are always clean (!) and lots of the hits on zombie actors are visibly wide of mark. It's not a particularly gory film, if at all, but the SFX of the faces of the zombies are very good and in places, very gross. This is not for young children.
Enjoyable, funny and heavily recognisable as the classic, so entertaining from that point of view – the comparison – but lacking in emotion. I found I didn't really care for any of the characters, the "twists" were telegraphed a mile away, and I didn't find myself investing. It is a shallow visual immersion, although well-acted and sets, locations and costumes were done as if trying to be a big Hollywood film, but I just couldn't really care. I laughed, yes, but it was the comparison to the original that brought me most enjoyment (and that didn't have zombies in it – spoiler alert!) or homages to previous P&P films/TV shows – the Darcy swimming in the lake for example. Great Saturday evening watching, fun version for teens pre-GCSE to watch as "study" but not something I'd rave about or rush out to buy, although I would say it's definitely worth seeing.
It stuck closely to Jane Austen's classic original, keeping all the classic lines and characters; The Bennett family and Mr Collins, Lady Catherine de Burgh and of course Darcy and Mr Bingley. The difference being that there was a 1700s zombie uprising and girls of good character and accomplishment didn't just learn to read, sing, dance and play the pianoforte, sew and carry themselves with refinement and good deportment, they also had to be martial artists trained in either the Japanese or Chinese (depending on social standing) arts of zombie killing.
Miss Jane Bennett (Bella Heathcote) isn't the beauty of previous P&P incarnations, and doesn't have the strong but quiet character as the eldest Miss Bennett, and seems younger and more like her mother, but Elizabeth Bennett (Lily James) the second sister, steals the show on every front. She really does have the most amazing eyes, and everyone would consider her a beauty. The three younger Bennett girls are seen and heard giggling but for the most part aren't in the scene except Lydia's unfortunate elopement. Mr and Mrs Bennett are played stoic and sensible, and flighty and silly respectively, and well, by Charles Dance and Sally Phillips. Darcy and Bingley Sam Riley (On the Road) and Douglas Booth are both great, my only complaint with Mr Bingley would be that he was far too pretty, to be historically correct – but then we're throwing caution to the wind with zombies so never mind. Matt Smith (Ex Dr) played the hapless and silly Mr – pardon, Parson – Collins well, and was suitably ridiculous, but a little too easy on the eye to be as odious and unappealing as he is meant to be – a problem with this production being everyone was younger and more attractive than they should be. Lady Catherine was the gorgeous Lena Heady for crying out loud! Generally the story kept to loose plot – Eliza being snubbed by Darcy at the ball and Jane's immediate attachment with Bingley Collins coming to choose a Bennett girl, Jane visiting Netherfield and catching cold, the balls, Darcy and Bingley's return to London, Mr Wickham's (Jack Huston) ingratiation with the Bennetts and all the subsequent toing and froing of affections. Jack Huston actually stood out as a good actor in this, but didn't have the slimy countenance of classic Wickhams. Then, there are the additions of zombies. All the way through the film we have opportunity for the Bennett girls (and I wondered where the other girls in Meriton were hiding) to show off their knife and musket skills with much showing of stocking and garter in the process, and heaving bosom. Fighting in corsets – whatever next? The fight scenes are good, though John Wick they are not, and you can see that most of the gore and action is actually off screen; blades are always clean (!) and lots of the hits on zombie actors are visibly wide of mark. It's not a particularly gory film, if at all, but the SFX of the faces of the zombies are very good and in places, very gross. This is not for young children.
Enjoyable, funny and heavily recognisable as the classic, so entertaining from that point of view – the comparison – but lacking in emotion. I found I didn't really care for any of the characters, the "twists" were telegraphed a mile away, and I didn't find myself investing. It is a shallow visual immersion, although well-acted and sets, locations and costumes were done as if trying to be a big Hollywood film, but I just couldn't really care. I laughed, yes, but it was the comparison to the original that brought me most enjoyment (and that didn't have zombies in it – spoiler alert!) or homages to previous P&P films/TV shows – the Darcy swimming in the lake for example. Great Saturday evening watching, fun version for teens pre-GCSE to watch as "study" but not something I'd rave about or rush out to buy, although I would say it's definitely worth seeing.