Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

There’s a certain glee in seeing the Bennet sisters as warriors in Victorian ball gowns, wielding swords and guns while trying to eradicate a zombie outbreak.

Yet while Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an ambitious genre mash-up — adapted from the Jane Austen send-up by novelist Seth Grahame-Smith — the concept ultimately is more amusing than the execution, and not as cool as it sounds.

Fans of the story will welcome a return to the 19th century rural English estate inhabited by the five strong-willed sisters, including most notably Elizabeth (Lily James), Jane (Bella Heathcote), and Lydia (Ellie Bamber).

Their subsequent romantic entanglements formed the basis for the original comedy of manners and morality. Yet this time around the women and their suitors, including the brooding aristocrat Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) and the charming but calculating Mr. Wickham (Jack Huston), are more concerned with an impending army of zombies that’s spreading outward from London. Darcy, in particular, has a keen eye for spotting the undead and firing a fatal shot in the nick of time.

The screenplay by director Burr Steers (17 Again) contains some scattered big laughs, especially for those familiar with the source material. The film’s comedic approach is droll and matter-of-fact, always played with a straight face.

Although uneven by nature, it’s a handsomely mounted period piece with style and attitude to spare. As you might expect, the satirical subtext about feminism and socioeconomic class from Austen’s book take a back seat.

However, the film can’t sustain its one-joke premise at feature length. The result might be too goofy and irreverent for the “Masterpiece Theatre” crowd, while the cartoonish violence and sparse blood might not suffice for zombie aficionados. The final act feels tacked-on and lacks conviction.

Does Pride and Prejudice and Zombies pay tribute or thumb its nose at Austen’s original? The answer is probably both. It’s more trendy than innovative, and not exactly groundbreaking — just ask Shakespeare. At the very least, it should introduce these characters to a new audience, for what that’s worth.

Meanwhile, if the venerable British author is spinning in her grave about this playfully subversive reimagining, then she’d be well advised to watch her neck.

Rated PG-13, 107 minutes.