Pride,
Prejudice and Zombies
(2016/Sony Blu-ray)
Picture:
B+ Sound: B+ Extras: B Film: B-
Much
like Abraham
Lincoln Vampire Hunter,
the satirical zombie novel Pride,
Prejudice and Zombies
has jumped from page to the silver screen. Silly but fun, the story
spins the classic Jane Austen romance story and, well, adds zombies
into it. Directed by Burr Steers, the film has impressive
production design and cinematography with an impressive cast
including Lily James (star of Disney's 2015 live action version of
Cinderella),
Sam Riley (Disney's Maleficent),
Jack Huston (Boardwalk
Empire),
Bella Heathcote (Tim Burton's Dark
Shadows),
Matt Smith (Doctor
Who),
Charles Dance (Game
of Thrones,
For
Your Eyes Only,
Alien
3),
and Lena Heady (Dredd,
Game
of Thrones)
as the eye-patch wearing villain - all of which play their parts as
if they are in a BBC show but spring to action once the Undead pop
around the corner.
It
is the 19th Century and a Zombie plague consumed England where a
serious of complicated relationships between social classes is
occurring. We meet the utterly bad ass and beautiful heroine named
Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) - one of three Sisters who also just
happens to be a master zombie killer. She finds the love of her life
in Mr. Darcy (Sam Reilly) who is a the top of upper class prejudice
and efficient undead battler himself. Together, they must band
together to find off a horde of zombies amidst the inter-personal
drama and romance of the time.
The
film was stuck in development hell since 2010 and was originally
supposed to be directed by David O. Russell (American
Hustle)
and star Natalie Portman (who ended up just producing the film)...
what a different film that would have been! The mashing of genres is
what works however, some of the original excerpts and old time-y
British vocabulary could have been a turn off to some of the American
audience during its Theatrical run. Now that it's on video,
hopefully it will find a wider audience, as I found to be not so bad
and I've seen a ton of bad Zombie movies in my day. Be sure to watch
through the credits as there is a mid sequence worth checking out.
Presented
in 1080p high definition with a stunning sound and picture transfer
in 2:39:1 widescreen and a crystal-clear, lossless English 5.1 DTS-HD
MA (Master Audio) mix that delivers nicely. The film looks great on
disc with incredible detail down to the pores on actors skins. Also
included in the release is a Ultraviolet copy for your smart phone or
tablet.
Extras
include Deleted Scenes, Gag Reel, Mr. Collins Line-O-Rama, Creating
the Unmentionables
(nice BTS look at the Zombie makeups), Courtship,
Class, and Carnage: Meet the Cast
and From
Austen to Zombies: Adapting a Classic.
If
you're a Zombie fan then you will more than likely enjoy this silly
adaptation of classic literature. High in production value, the film
delivers as effective popcorn munching entertainment.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
