PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES. Corpses in Lace

Great Britain is growing rich on the raw materials flowing in from the colonies. Unfortunately, along with them comes a plague decimating the population, turning its victims into zombies. They grow stronger and begin to pose a serious threat to English brains. For safety reasons, London is surrounded by a tall wall to prevent the undead from storming the capital. Across the country, knowledge of oriental martial arts as well as skill with knives, swords, and pistols is considered good manners. In these fields, the five daughters of Mr. Bennett (Charles Dance) excel, with the most talented being Elizabeth (Lily James).

Such an absurd combination should not have worked at all.

And yet, it’s actually quite decent. From the very first scenes, it’s clear that the creators had a vision for the world they wanted to portray, where the presence of zombies is a permanent part of the landscape. Nearly a hundred years have passed since the plague first appeared in Britain, so the Bennetts are accustomed to the problem—thanks to the head of the family, all the daughters have mastered Chinese martial arts and carry equipment discreetly adapted to gowns and corsets so that it doesn’t interfere with dances or walks. Moreover, the subject of the undead is frequently discussed in drawing rooms, over dinner, and so on.

For most of the aristocracy, they are simply subhumans to be kept at a distance and eliminated at the first opportunity. Others, however, argue that the less aggressive zombies, those who show traces of intellect, might be able to coexist peacefully within society. In this respect, the film succeeds because it displays plenty of irony and humor. The presence of the undead isn’t just a pretext for bloody duels.

Such duels, however, occur often and are quite dynamic. The Bennet sisters wield melee weapons with skill and can strike effectively with a spin-kick as well.

Colonel Darcy, too—a seasoned veteran of the British army—proves unbeatable in combat with the undead. He is also well-versed in methods of identifying disguised zombies. He combines the qualities of a scholar and a warrior, resembling a vampire hunter like Van Helsing (more Hugh Jackman’s 2004 version than Stoker’s). Interestingly, alternating between brawls/beheadings and dialogue lifted straight from Austen’s prose isn’t as ridiculous as one might expect. The filmmakers managed to create a surprisingly coherent world (albeit framed within a humorous convention). Thus, characters familiar from adaptations of the original Pride and Prejudice fit seamlessly into a reality threatened by a deadly plague.

The acting, especially from the leads, fares much worse. Lily James as Elizabeth Bennet is as artificial as instant noodles and comes across as bland even compared to the zombies. The fewer lines she has, the better she performs (she has mastered fight choreography brilliantly, unlike dialogue scenes). Darcy, in turn, is portrayed as a loathsome grump with a sore throat. He lacks mystery, magnetism, and, crucially, chemistry with Lizzy Bennet. This is the film’s greatest flaw—mediocre acting that fails to engage. Charles Dance and Sally Philips don’t have enough screen time to flesh out their characters, and Lena Headey’s guest appearance—despite her talent—is reduced to a few minutes and a handful of lines.

The only actor who truly entertains is Matt Smith as the amusingly irritating pastor Collins. Still, that’s small consolation.

Paradoxically, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies succeeds in all the areas that seemed destined for failure: merging Austen’s world with a tale of the undead plague, enriching it with elements of camp and black comedy. What’s more, the script allows for an ironic perspective on feminism (the Bennet sisters’ skepticism toward marriage and their love of combat and weaponry).

In addition, in the context of Europe’s refugee crisis, the film takes on new undertones (a wall built against an alien threat recalls the rhetoric of Donald Trump). Yet the astonishingly poor acting and rather predictable plot (especially for those familiar with Austen’s work and/or its adaptations) strip the viewing experience of emotion and tension. As a result, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a soulless production that treats the audience the way a zombie treats a brain: it tries to approach and devour it completely. Unfortunately, this attempt is clumsy and ineffective.