Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is currently streaming in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 2,328 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Lily James is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. A zombie outbreak has fallen upon the land in this reimagining of Jane Austen's classic tale of the tangled relationships between lovers from different social classes in 19th century England. Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is a master of martial arts and weaponry and the handsome Mr. Darcy is a fierce zombie killer, yet the epitome of upper class prejudice. Lily James and Sam Riley lead a cast that never overplays a joke. It hit screens in 2016. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Lily James is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.