The world is full of underrated zombie movies you really need to see, and when one of them is made by Jim Jarmusch and features a laundry list of Hollywood's best actors, there's no shame in being doubly intrigued. The movie in question is none other than the 2019 horror comedy The Dead Don't Die, which is currently seeing a lot of success on Netflix. In fact, the decidedly off-season film sits at a very respectable third position on the streaming platform's Top 10 Daily Most Watched Movies as of December 22, 2024 (after FlixPatrol).
In many ways, Dead Don't Die is the perfect movie for the streaming era. A decidedly sloppy film with a slow pace and thematic choices that made it difficult for audiences and critics alike to swallow (as evidenced by its 54 percent critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes), failed to set the box office on fire during its original theatrical run. However, on the other side of the coin, it's a zombie movie with a very stacked cast featuring names like Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Steve Buscemi, Chloe Sevigny, Danny Glover, Selena Gomez, Austin Butler and Rosie Perez . - as well as musicians RZA, Tom Waits and Iggy Pop. Combine this with the fact that its lackluster box office success meant that tons of people simply didn't have the opportunity to see the film anymore, and it's not hard to see why the film is enjoying a healthy run on Netflix.
The Dead Don't Die brings you zombies with an environmental twist
Dead Don't Die is an unconventional zombie movie to say the least. Although it contains comedic elements, it's certainly not Shaun of the Dead. Instead, it leans toward absurd twists and allegories, while leads Murray and Voyver remain rock solid. The zombie apocalypse that unfolds in the small town of Centerville is caused by the polar breach and serves as an explicit reminder of climate change, but the heavy moments often give way to scenes like Tilda Swinton with a katana in full "Kill Bill" mode.
In other words, Dead Don't Die is a movie that contains multitudes. While /Film's 2019 a review of Jarmusch's zombie comedy found it lacking bite, streaming seems to have given the film a thematically appropriate second life. Dead Don't Die isn't easy to like, but that's why it's brilliant - and judging by its success on Netflix, many viewers who have ventured to uncork this unique bottle of cinematic wine are finding that it has aged quite well.
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