Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie, in possession of brains, must be in want of more brains." 

If that isn't an enticing enough line to draw in audience in the masses, then I don't know what is. Based on the parody novel of the same name by Seth Grahame-Smith, which uses the narrative structure or Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice with an undead twist - this film is everything you hoped it would be and more.

This is the third time Lily James has appeared on this blog, and I have to say that I definitely took her more seriously with the brown locks... and sword. Playing the well known protagonist Elizabeth Bennet, James does a fantastic job of being the proud, independent and less than demure Zombie slayer. Despite the on going plague of Zombies, her nemesis comes in the brooding and unfeeling form of Mr Darcy (Sam Riley). An equally skilled Zombie slayer who goes nowhere without his Van Helsing and Neo inspired leather coat.

Sam Riley would not have been my first choice to play the lovable robot that is Fitzwilliam Darcy, neither would he have been my second, third or probably forth choice, however as the film went on I warmed to his stoic nature and enjoyed the dry humoured dynamic between his Darcy and James' Bennet. Their inevitable relationship was certainly more believable than that between Elizabeth and the devilishly handsome Mr Wickham (Jack Huston) who has even more sinister in this rendition than I could have ever imagined. He was transformed into a real villain, out for more than just money which added depth to his character, that will never allow me to see him the same way ever again.

The film was laid against the plot of the Jane Austen's original but what was so great is that although we did have the vague courtship of Jane Bennet and the sexy Mr Bingley (Douglas Booth), the rules of social etiquette are secondary to the fight against the undead.

One thing that did stick out, was the complete irrelevance of the entire Bennet family. Whereas they normally each have their own unique and distinctive personalities, in this film their role was simply to support Elizabeth Bennet. Seriously I don't think Kitty Bennet even spoke, and it was a miracle that Mary Bennet managed to snag herself a few lines. Even Lydia who is supposed to have her own plot and a strong character fell flat. It would have been better to get rid of a few of the Bennet sisters and rename the film; Elizabeth Bennet Zombie Slayer.
But then again, tell me the five of them together does not look so cool.

#SquadGoals

In terms of the films style, it did seem as though the director was unsure what he wanted to go for - which is completely understandable as there was so much choice. There was the graceful possibility of the 1800's, the war torn theme of Good vs Evil, and the bad-assness of female empowerment. However it seemed that instead of making a resolute decision, he just stuck a different instagram filter over random scenes and called it a day.

As a final note I have to give a standing ovation to Matt Smith who played the Bennet's cousin Mr Collins. Normally portrayed as an annoying, self absorbed try-hard, Smith did the impossible and turned this unlikeable character into a loveable one. His mannerisms and lines brought a comic element to the film that was otherwise missing. It was an unexpected but pleasurable twist in the tale that brought life to a character that is otherwise seen as nothing more than the gum on your shoe. Kudos to you Matt Smith, kudos to you.

If you are a fan of the book, or the original of which the book was based, then by all means waste your money and have a good laugh. If however you care nothing for Pride or Prejudice or Zombies, then pick another film... That being said; as this is the sometimes subjective view of an objective film reviewer I am going to personally give this film a rating higher than it would probably get elsewhere. Not as good as Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter but a blast nevertheless.

TV Drama: War and Peace

As it's been a while since my last film review - namely due to my decision not to watch certain films I was previously anticipating in cinema - and so I thought  I would just insert a random TV Drama Review for you. The BBC's 6 part adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. Get Excited.

War and Peace is an avid readers 'white whale', in that it is over 1,200 pages of dense text, translated from its original language of Russian. Stunning visuals aside, this adaptation should help provide some context and help in ease of read should you one day attempt the novel.

Set amidst a brooding war between Russia and France between 1805 and 1813, War and Peace focuses around the lives of three main characters belonging to Russia's Elite.

Count Pierre Bezukhov (Paul Dano) - Although Pierre grew up around the likes of Counts and Princes, he was never expected to reach their ranks. Educated, kind and a little awkward, he suddenly has to navigate the customs and delicacies of society when he inherits his title. Count after his father names him as heir - despite him being a bastard child. Paul Dano's depiction of Pierre Bezukhov was a work of art. He was an inspiring and determined character and my favourite.

What I liked so much about Pierre is that he probably grew the most, in thoughts, in practice, and in understanding. Despite his initial childishness and naivety, he comes into his own, doing what he can to better his life and help others do the same.

Countess Natasha Rostova (Lily James) - I think one of the fundamental issues of this characters depiction, is that she is supposed to be very young when the book starts off; Twelve to be exact. Lily James on the other hand is Twenty-Six, and although she does look young for her age - she doesn't look that young. I think because of that reason it was hard to really relate to her character in the early stages of the show.

Natasha Rostova is an untouched flower, unsullied by the manipulations and scandals of the elite, close to her family and lover of all things. She is constantly jubilant, a believer in true love and blissfully ignorant of real life. It is only in the second half of the series that it becomes easier to relate to her, and although Lily James did a good enough job of prancing around pretending to be twelve, it wasn't until Natasha Rostova grew up both in age and mind, that Lily James was able to deliver a convincing performance.

Prince Andrei Bolkonsky (James Norton) - Despite having a wife with a child on the way, Bolkonsky has used the war with France as a means of escape. In conversation with his close (and seemingly only) friend Pierre Buzukhov he talks about how he is disgusted with the shackles of society life; the luxuries, the dances, the clothes, and his wife whom he no longer loves. Bolkonsky is essentially on a suicide mission, deciding that the only way to escape the life he was born into is to die at war.

Andrei Bolkonsky is a selfish character  he mostly cannot see beyond his own self loathing to think about anybody else, despite how many chances God has given him to live. James Norton played him well, seeming to add a Mr Darcy air to the character in his stiffness, manner of speaking, and resolute judgement. The character of Andrei Bolkonsky had the least amount of development in my opinion, (of course I can only comment on the TV Adaptation) as it seemed that by the end of his journey he had learnt nothing and had scarcely changed at all.

I think the war created a good backdrop as it almost ebbed and flowed with the characters emotions and journey's, like slowly watching the tide come in not realising you were in any danger until your back hits the wall. The first two episodes moved very slowly, it was still a good watch especially as you had a subconscious awareness that it was essentially necessary in order to grasp the who's who of the extensive number of players that came and went. Episodes three to five was where the core of the story took place (and were probably the best episodes), and episode six deserves to be judged in it's own right as it was 82 minutes - as opposed to the standard 60 minutes of its predecessors. It made of a good round up of all events, yet despite the length of the episode, certain aspects still felt rushed.

I won't deny it; I love a good period drama, and I really enjoyed this series. The idea of taking thick literary works of art and adapting it for the small screen for all to enjoy is something I hope to see more of from the BBC, and from any other TV production company that can rise to the artistic and financial challenge. I will still attempt to read the book one day, but for now this was a great experience, almost like watching an illustration of Neoclassical artwork dance around your screen.