The Dead Don't Die
Focus Features | Release Date: June 14, 2019
5.5
USER SCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 207 Ratings
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Positive:
91
Mixed:
58
Negative:
58
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User scoreBy dateMost helpful
9
JLauSep 18, 2020
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Polar fracking has caused the population of a small town to turn into zombies but the rest of the population don't seem especially concerned as they're too busy listening to the theme song.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
MovieRiffingJun 19, 2019
The Dead Don't Die runs far with its bleak premise and dry humor, but it can't outrun the heavy handed mess lurking within the finale. Any Bill Murray or Jim Jarmusch fan should see this and I recommend the film as a whole, but it is notThe Dead Don't Die runs far with its bleak premise and dry humor, but it can't outrun the heavy handed mess lurking within the finale. Any Bill Murray or Jim Jarmusch fan should see this and I recommend the film as a whole, but it is not priority viewing.… Expand
3 of 4 users found this helpful31
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10
wheredowegoJun 14, 2019
the gore wasnt over the top and it was genuine fun to watch even if the pace was a bit slow, still enjoyable
10 of 15 users found this helpful105
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10
wales7388Jun 14, 2019
really nuiance performances with a deeper and meaningful send off, selena and bill were standouts!! love them!!!
8 of 12 users found this helpful84
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10
BlockearJun 15, 2019
I just saw this movie three times just in two days and the all time i laugh like a lot. The Adam Driver is awsome and with Bill they just killed it, and all the cast are funny group of the society who to kill the zombies or die.
4 of 6 users found this helpful42
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8
GinaKJun 17, 2019
Jim Jarmusch films are an acquired taste that I acquired from the very first film of his I saw near Lincoln Center in NYC decades ago. Frankly I never expected to see him at AMC in the ‘burbs although this film seemed a bit more commercialJim Jarmusch films are an acquired taste that I acquired from the very first film of his I saw near Lincoln Center in NYC decades ago. Frankly I never expected to see him at AMC in the ‘burbs although this film seemed a bit more commercial than usual, even though it still had that special, slightly askew Jarmusch style. His idea of apocalypse is like no other – and yet very familiar. But the most amazing thing about Jarmusch’s films is how comfortable and natural his actors seem, even when the weirdest things happen. Jarmusch films are also very, very funny – and a great change from everyday life (and everyday films). You have to relax and “go with” his films, whatever happens, and then his films quickly become fun to watch. They are both real – and not real.… Expand
3 of 5 users found this helpful32
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10
loverxselenaJun 23, 2019
The all star cast delivers a great movie filled with comedy, gore, and a look at society. Great performances by Adam Driver, Bill , and Selena Gomez.
2 of 4 users found this helpful22
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10
DrBlahBlahMar 4, 2020
One of Jim's most underrated films, this odd-ball dark comedy, which is deeply nihilistic beneath its charming surface, is also one of the best films of 2019.
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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7
Bertaut1Jul 28, 2019
Very funny, very peculiar, somewhat didactic

Writer/director Jim Jarmusch making a zombie comedy? Who saw that coming? He's certainly made genre films in the past – Down By Law (1986), Dead Man (1995), Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai (1999),Very funny, very peculiar, somewhat didactic

Writer/director Jim Jarmusch making a zombie comedy? Who saw that coming? He's certainly made genre films in the past – Down By Law (1986), Dead Man (1995), Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai (1999), Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) - and usually, he's very successful at grafting his worldview onto the generic tropes. With The Dead Don't Die, however, he doesn't do quite as well; this is very much a Jarmusch film before a zombie movie. However, I enjoyed it nonetheless, and although it shifts into didacticism in the last scene, nothing that Jarmusch says is incorrect, even if he says it a little inelegantly.

In the town of Centerville (pop. 738), strange things are afoot; the sun is still shining at 8pm, people's watches have stopped, no one can get a signal on their phone, and the dead are rising from the grave. Very much an ensemble piece, the residents of Centerville include police chief Cliff Robertson (Bill Murray); deputies Ronnie Peterson (Adam Driver) and Mindy Morrison (Chloë Sevigny); undertaker Zelda Winston (Tilda Swinton); farmer Frank Miller (Steve Buscemi); vagrant Hermit Bob (Tom Waits); hardware store owner Hank Thompson (Danny Glover); gas station owner Bobby Wiggins (Caleb Landry Jones); delivery man Dean (RZA); recently deceased town drunk Mallory O'Brien (Carol Kane); motel owner Danny Perkins (Larry Fessenden); journalist Posie Juarez (Rosie Perez); and a pair of coffee loving ghouls (Sara Driver and Iggy Pop).

If The Dead Don't Die has a single salient theme, it's apathy; the zombies represent us, sleepwalking our way towards our own extinction. Jarmusch suggests that as a society, we've become lazy, instinctual, addicted to things that don't matter (the zombies hunt for coffee, WiFi, Siri, Chardonnay, Xanax, and "Fashion"). Indeed, in this sense, one of the film's more subtle (and interesting) points is that the best way to remain outside such societal stagnation is to remain on the edges of the social contract – the characters who do best against the zombies are the socially ostracised Zelda, three kids in a juvenile detention centre, and the philosophical Hermit Bob.

Of course, using zombies as vehicles for social satire isn't exactly new; George A. Romero did it as far back as Night of the Living Dead (1968), which is more about endemic racism than zombies. He did it to even greater effect in Dawn of the Dead (1978), where he targeted materialistic vapidity. In this tradition, The Dead Don't Die has its eye very much on the climate change-denying administration in Washington; for example, Frank is introduced wearing a MAGA-style baseball cap with a "Keep America White Again" logo, whilst his dog is called Rumsfeld. And whilst it remains a comedy, much of what The Dead Don't Die says is deadly serious – the planet is dying; the polar ice caps are melting, and with them, the future of our species; universal scientific guarantees of impending extinction are largely ignored, whilst the idiots in power discard the warnings of their own people, strip away environmental protections, and continually confuse weather and climate.

One element of the film that's especially interesting is the Pirandellian self-reflexivity, with some of the characters aware that they're in a movie. For example, Ronnie refers to Sturgill Simpson's "The Dead Don't Die" as "the theme song" (which it is), and later assures Cliff he knows that things will end badly because he's read the script. This upsets Cliff because he was only allowed to read the scenes in which he appeared. And the point of all this self-reflexivity? I'd say that Jarmusch is using it in the Brechtian sense to ensure the audience remains consciously critical, more engaged with the narrative on an intellectual level than an emotional level.

However, there are problems. In last ten minutes, Jarmusch abandons all semblance of narrative, becoming very preachy and didactic. Another issue is the humour, which is very Jarmuschian – all awkward stilted dialogue, deadpan one-liners, and subtle winking at the audience. Some of the political themes are also underexplored. For example, Frank's MAGA hat is a pointed critique of Trump, but to what end? Also, as Jarmusch himself is aware, the film isn't really saying anything that Romero hasn't already said.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed The Dead Don't Die. It's certainly nowhere near Jarmusch's best, and I can understand people who dislike it; a lot of the themes have been explored before, a lot of the jokes have been made before, and it's neither a terrifying thriller nor a self-conscious meta-comedy. Having said that, however, the socio-political commentary is undeniably relevant and the cast is universally impressive. And ultimately, you may have a problem with the manner with which the film communicates its message, but that doesn't alter the fact that that message is absolutely legitimate.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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8
thatdannerJun 28, 2019
Probably one of the best comedies I've seen this year. Found it to be very deadpan, making it very funny. The acting from most cast members is amazing, especially Bill Murray, Adam Driver and Tilda Swinton. The movie is definitely veryProbably one of the best comedies I've seen this year. Found it to be very deadpan, making it very funny. The acting from most cast members is amazing, especially Bill Murray, Adam Driver and Tilda Swinton. The movie is definitely very strange and the characters are fresh and quirky. This is exactly what you would want out of an indie movie. Aside from some of the good, the plot-holes make it slightly less enjoyable. The movie suffers from unfinished plot lines, but it does a fantastic job of switching in-between the 5-6 different groups of characters in the movie. The action is well-done also, for a B-movie. Overall, if you don't mind the endless cliffhanger that some of the groups of characters get, you will love the movie.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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8
moonliteJun 25, 2019
This was really unique to see a movie of the horror zombie genre to have many undertones and messages underlined subtly and covertly. I actually liked it alot!!!!!!
0 of 2 users found this helpful02
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10
selenatoroneJul 17, 2019
the whole cast is very charismatic, we need more movies like this tht make the audience laugh
0 of 2 users found this helpful02
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7
marcmyworksSep 21, 2019
The Dead Don't Die isn't a bad film, but it doesn't really go anywhere and its strange for strange sake. Overall a great cast but very little script.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
Kai82Dec 28, 2019
Overall this is a unique movie you must rate for yourself. No review can help you. Its like an exotic meal you have to try for yourself because no one can describe the taste in an understandable manner. Everyone in the cinema after the movie:Overall this is a unique movie you must rate for yourself. No review can help you. Its like an exotic meal you have to try for yourself because no one can describe the taste in an understandable manner. Everyone in the cinema after the movie: What did I just watch? Was this a good or bad movie? How can I compare this to other movies? This one is hard to rate or to do justice. I have never seen a movie like this and I can defend a 1/10, 5/10 and 10/10 rating at the same time. The vision and style of the director is clear and his message also (but it is too much hammered in at the end). The actors deliver their roles but some characters are wasted (You can remove them and nothing is lost). The story is (purposely?) slow but overall the pace is fitting for me (Other had problems). There are a few huge WTF moments and some of the 4th wall breaks are puzzling. I still don't know what rating I should give this movie at the time of writing this review. Many other would give a 5/10 because the movie is awesome and awful at the same time. I will give 7/10 because I like more parts of the movie than I hate.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
alejandro970Apr 1, 2022
I guess independent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch wanted to make a personal version of Night of the Living Dead. Basically it is not bad; the but is that social criticism and black humor lacked a bit of seasoning. As a Devil's Advocate, it'sI guess independent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch wanted to make a personal version of Night of the Living Dead. Basically it is not bad; the but is that social criticism and black humor lacked a bit of seasoning. As a Devil's Advocate, it's somewhat better than Army of the Dead. (Zack Snyder)… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
treestandJun 17, 2019
The Dead Don't Die is my new favorite zombie film. That being said, it is not my favorite Jarmusch film. Still, I think it was great, the pace, the dialog the off kilter weirdness all worked so well in this small little film about the zombieThe Dead Don't Die is my new favorite zombie film. That being said, it is not my favorite Jarmusch film. Still, I think it was great, the pace, the dialog the off kilter weirdness all worked so well in this small little film about the zombie in all of us. The police dept team and the weirdo coroner absolutely stole the show, despite the ensemble cast doing a great job bringing sleepy Centerville to life. The only issue I had, without spoiling anything, is that the fim should have ended five minutes sooner. The final scene is a bit gratuitous in 2 respects, the sudden action and the final voice over. The film would have done better ending with the understanding that things weren't going to end well, without having to show HOW things don't end well so specifically. Also, the theme and message the film was trying to convey was already overly evident without needing to bash it over the audience's heads as heads were being bashed in. But that's it. Great film, but I wish the credits rolled after 'we have to give it our best shot.'… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
CristoParadoNov 15, 2019
In "The dead don't die" Jim Jarmusch delivers a zombie apocalypse movie that doesn't shy away from making obvious that zombies in pop culture have been for a very long time a quasi-perfect allegory for consumerism, self-infatuation, andIn "The dead don't die" Jim Jarmusch delivers a zombie apocalypse movie that doesn't shy away from making obvious that zombies in pop culture have been for a very long time a quasi-perfect allegory for consumerism, self-infatuation, and social alienation; in fact he celebrates his self-indulging in it. Besides the cynicism, the other aspect that makes the movie different from most other zombie movies is that its stance in the face of our self-inflicted demise seems vague, its up to each member of the audience to decide if the overall tone of the movie is optimistic or pessimistic.
It runs smoothly on very simplistic jokes on the impotence of human nature, references to cult movies, clichés, and pretty little details worth keeping an eye out for, in fact one of the characters recommends to be attentive to details for therein lies the beauty and "perfection" of the world. The dead that won't die aren't only the zombies, but their unquenchable appetites, the archaic notions they fight to keep alive, the lies they depend on to justify their willful ignorance and inaction, and their subconscious symbiotic relationship with authoritarian power.
Salvation from the end of the world is reserved to those who have denounced it either by retracting to its margins or by living in perfectly disciplined asceticism, thus emancipating themselves through individuation; and surely this salvation seems so impossible and uncharacteristic of the world and its inhabitants that it will necessarily come from out of it as the materialization of the sophisticated iteration of messianic help of our times. All things considered "The dead don't die" is definitely worth watching, and think about for a while afterwards.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
RedQuinnOct 3, 2019
Not an action movie so don't expect fast pacing. Lots of poking fun at itself, the zombie genre and dry humour. Random plot twists, cameos and fun off the wall style.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
ezmApr 4, 2020
The decapitation of Selena Gomez scene is brilliant. I never knew she is such a good actress.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
HihihahahohoOct 21, 2020
Loved that so much! A very unique movie. Can't understand why critics and people gives to this film extremely low points
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
LolaesJul 24, 2020
Para gustos colores y a mi me gusta mucho y el humor que hay en la película me encanta
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
diannaxMar 20, 2021
Love it! Selena Gomez is such a great actress.(plus singer, songwriter, dancer, producer, activist, designer, ambassador, influencer)
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
Agent_ashJul 2, 2021
From the technical perspective, The Dead Don't Die appears to be a bad movie. It introduces characters that don't do anything relevant or simply disappear at some point, deus ex machina, unresolved conflicts and awkward 4th-wall breaking...From the technical perspective, The Dead Don't Die appears to be a bad movie. It introduces characters that don't do anything relevant or simply disappear at some point, deus ex machina, unresolved conflicts and awkward 4th-wall breaking... But a joke without a punchline is bad only if it was actually meant to be a joke (or funny). The witty dialogue, masterful camerawork and great acting leave no doubts: it's not sloppy filmmaking, it's completely intentional. It's just that Jarmusch didn't really want to make a movie. He wanted to screw with you.

What surprises me most about the reviews for this movie is that the majority of both negative AND positivce ones I see mention environmenta/social commentary, compare it to Only Lovers Left Alive, and talk about other crap that has nothing to do with the point of the movie (which is, again, Jarmusch screwing with you).

The Dead Don't Die is not a zombie movie. It's honestly 'barely a movie at all. It's a meta-satire: it satirizes zombie tropes, character tropes, and movie tropes in general. It's a story full of Chekhov's guns, none of which ever goes off—but it's intentional.

Of course, when a movie tries so hard to not be one it's hard to say if it's actually enjoyable. There are plenty of things to like here and plenty of things to be annoyed about. If you manage to find it in yourself to laugh *with* Jarmusch, then it just might be great fun.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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