To be completely honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this movie. I’m a bit ashamed to admit that, while I know the basic plot of Jane Austen’s novel, “Pride and Prejudice,” I’ve never read the original book or seen the movie, so for my first exposure to be a zombie parody was a little bizarre. That being said, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” directed by Burr Steers and starring Lily James and Sam Riley, holds its own while staying true to the classic drama and romance of the original.

“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” originally a novel by Seth Grahame-Smith (with Jane Austen credited as co-author) is set in 19th century England, in a world where a zombie plague has taken over and the undead roam free. The five Bennet sisters — Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Lydia and Kitty — have been trained by their father in martial arts and self-defense to fight zombies, but their mother is intent on marrying them off to eligible bachelors in the area.

The sisters are invited to the ball of the wealthy Charles Bingley, who immediately takes interest in the eldest sister, Jane. There, Elizabeth meets the mysterious Mr. Darcy, a zombie hunter who comes across as haughty and elitist in his methods and demeanor. The film follows the love-hate relationship of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy as a horde of zombies slowly advance from London into the countryside where the wealthy families reside.

The dialogue was both intelligent and humorous, and the actors portrayed their characters in a way that was entertaining and heightened the action and drama. While the plot could have had more depth, I was overall very impressed by the story arc and script. It didn’t come off as a “zombie movie” or inherently science fiction but more as a period drama that just so happened to have flesh-eating monsters. The set design and costumes, arguably one of the most important aspects of any historical drama, were incredibly detailed and captured the intricacy of the English social ladder despite the apocalyptic environment.

All of the typical elements of modern zombie fiction are present while still maintaining the vibe of classic literature and romance. Although some aspects obviously had to be changed to accommodate the zombie apocalypse, Elizabeth Bennet remains her fiery self (with the added bonus of weapons), and Mr. Darcy is somehow even more attractive than his literary counterpart.

I give “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” a surprising B+. Not every movie has to be Oscar-worthy or dripping with meaning and symbolism. Sometimes a good old zombie fight scene and a healthy dose of romance is all you need.