Bill Murray and Adam Driver’s zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die is streaming on Netflix

on December 16th.

While it was a quirky and completely deadpan take on the zombie genre that seemed promising given its premise and lead cast, which also included Adam Driver, the mix of horror, comedy, and plenty of social commentary was am Ends even more lifeless than the undead creatures it depicts. Jarmusch’s deep dive into environmental issues under the guise of a slow, dark comedy failed to resonate with audiences or critics, resulting in the film suffering a sad, dragging death.

There’s little doubt that the film’s biggest appeal comes from its incredible ensemble cast, which made the end result even more surprising. Alongside Murray and Driver, Tilda Swinton appears as a Scottish undertaker with a knack for swordplay and an incredibly eccentric personality, Chloë Sevigny plays Murray and Driver’s senior colleague Officer Mindy Morrison, and Steve Buscemi appears as a farmer whose MAGA-inspired wardrobe and demeanor are a clearly satirical take on the political climate of Donald Trump’s first term as president. Other cast members include Selena Gomez, Rosie Perez, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones and Tom Waits.

What is “The Dead Never Die” about?

Set in the sleepy town of Centerville, Murray and Driver play Chief Cliff Robertson and Officer Ronnie Peterson, two local police officers whose quiet lives are turned upside down when dead people start walking the streets. This time it is not a virus that is the cause of the Walking Dead outbreak, but polar fracking is the notable cause. The Earth was thrown off its axis, causing several bizarre changes to the world, including the resurrection of the dead. These zombies are no ordinary zombies either, as they seem to be drawn to the things they loved in their previous lives and begin to adopt traits from their old human routines.

There are certainly some unique and fascinating ideas included The dead don’t diebut the film’s execution, with over an hour of talk about the world and about 20 minutes of actual zombie action, didn’t make the most of the premise. The film should be praised for being one of those moments where a director tells the story he wants to tell and doesn’t sacrifice his vision to appeal to the pop culture masses. The film has a 58% critic rating and a poor (or rotting, if you will) 38% audience approval rating. The relatively modest theatrical release grossed just over $15 million, which was still extremely disappointing.

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However, Jarmusch has his fans and the film has gained a strong cult following as a result. Its often self-referential humour, brilliantly dark, dry delivery of many of its best lines – particularly from Driver – and its many familiar faces make it a film that deserves a re-evaluation, and its release on Netflix could well be the chance for many to do so exactly that. It’s absurd, slow and nothing like the normal zombie features you know and love. This Christmas, make yourself comfortable with a hot chocolate and embark on the relaxing journey.

Release date

May 15, 2019

Duration

103