If there is one thing that has become incredibly apparent in our culture today it's that we love mythical creatures. But zombies have somehow eked their way into every facet of our lives. Video games, books, movies, and now cross overs with other popular works. This isn't a bad thing though. If we didn't all love it this wouldn't be happening right now. Unfortunately 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' may have proved that these pop culture icons may be coming to their final demise, at least for mainstream movies. Don't get me wrong this movie is really bad, but it isn't the worst thing to ever happen to me so lets talk about its strengths. One of the few saving graces here is Matt Smith. He may not have the greatest performance ever but he is the only person in this entire movie with a personality. Every other actor seems to be bored ninety percent of the time. So each time he is on screen he basically steals the show.
Another positive is the opening half hour or so. We learn about what 18th century London may have been like if it was deep in the middle of a zombie infestation. Then we get to see our main actors show off their zombie hunting skills in some pretty alright fight sequences. But this blistering pace and excessive zombie violence doesn't last long.
As I said, only for about thirty minutes. After that point we get the basic Pride and Prejudice love triangle coupled with stiff dialogue. The remaining hour plus is filled with uncomfortably bland characters spewing uncomfortably lifeless dialogue. And, sadly enough, this is the best part of the remaining two acts.
The fact that zombies were included is the worst part. By doing this the film promises fans that this won't be the typical love triangle that they are used to. No, this time flesh eating creatures will be having at them. But the way that they are presented makes next to no sense. Some are super smart, sneaky zombies that can hide and jump out right as the film needs them to.
Others are incredibly stupid and let characters literally walk past them. They never impose a threat because the film never allows them too. It only uses them as badly timed plot devices. It throws them in whenever things start to get overly stale, to try and lighten the mood. But, by doing this, things are only made worse.
Poorly used zombies can sometimes be overlooked, but stupid characters can't be. Watching a "highly trained" character take off into a zombie infested forest at night is just one of these instances. In fact there are so many things just like this that listing each one would probably take an entire page to write down. And with each one the film grows more and more unbelievable and boring.
'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' may offer an interesting cross over type movie but it doesn't actually do anything with this offer. It promises so much that it can't deliver. The characters are incredibly flat, the zombies mechanics make next to no sense, characters act insanely dumb, and uneven pacing only heightens this bland experience.
