An Underrated Zombie Movie Thrives on Netflix (Despite Mixed Reviews)

On By Littum

2019 zombie comedy The dead don’t die it was not appreciated in its time, but it is finding its audience now on Netflix. The film is popular this week – possibly because of its star-studded cast. If you have access to a Netflix subscription this holiday season, you should definitely take the time to check this one out.

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The dead don’t die was written and directed by indie film pioneer Jim Jarmusch, and its A-list cast includes Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Tilda Swinton, Tom Waits, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Rosie Perez, Iggy Pop, Carol Kane, RZA, Austin Butler and Selena Gomez. It is an absurdist comedy that takes place in a small American town during the outbreak of a sudden zombie invasion. Murray, Driver and Sevigny play the local police trying to deal with the attack.

The film has some impressive action, a surprising amount of laughs and many moments of genuine terror. It’s all set in motion by a sense of unreality, with deliberately nonsensical dialogue and stilted performances in places. However, it helps increase the sense of creepiness in the story and ultimately serves the unexpected ending.

The dead don’t die debuted at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and had a limited US theatrical release the following month. A month after that, it got a limited theatrical release in the UK, according to Box Office Mojothe film grossed a total of $15.3 million at the box office, but its production budget was not disclosed, so it is difficult to say how successful or unsuccessful it was financially.

Critical, The dead don’t die is equally difficult to determine. The film has a positive score of 54 percent on Rotten Tomatoeswith an average rating of 5.8 out of 10. Critics found it enigmatic with a constantly shifting tone, though many agreed that the cast made it watchable and held the story together. My review then was on the positive end of the spectrum – I felt the use of a small town to confront global issues was compelling to watch from start to finish.

Still, viewers who come to this movie expecting a zombie movie, or a Bill Murray movie, or any of the other formulas they may see advertised here, will be disappointed. The film plays on genre and expectations to confuse viewers without ever delivering the catharsis they expected. More than anything, it’s a Jim Jarmusch movie, and viewers should know that going in.

The Dead Don’t Die is rated R and probably won’t be a good choice for most family gatherings in the coming weeks. It’s hard to say why it’s streaming right now, though its cast is so large and so acclaimed that odds are someone in the ensemble is trending right now. Netflix may recommend it based on the success of another title with one of the same stars, but if that’s the case, it’s not immediately obvious.

The Dead Don’t Die is now streaming on Netflix. It can also be rented or purchased on Blu-ray and DVD.