As far as beloved literary pieces go, one of the most widely recognized is Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” Following the lives of well-to-do sisters led by lead character Elizabeth Bennet, the book has only continued to permeate pop culture.

Spurring television and movie adaptions, one of the most unlikely success stories of its source material came in the 2009 restructuring of the story in the parody, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” Written by Seth Grahame-Smith, the novel became an unlikely hit that crisscrossed genres with all of the self-reflective ridiculousness that a romantic classic-turned horror story had to offer.

With the movie adaption released on what seems to be the fringe-end of the zombie craze brought on by ventures like “The Walking Dead,” the film “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” could not have come any later in the game. With a large fan base in tow and plenty of directions to go in, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” in movie form seemed inevitable. Directed by Burr Steers (“17 Again”), the film is enhanced by a number of talented performers. Turning her lead as the independent and empowered zombie fighter Elizabeth Bennet, Lily James (“Cinderella”), “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” finds more strength in its supporting cast. Matt Smith of “Doctor Who” fame, Lena Headey from “Game of Thrones” and Sam Riley (“Control”) are stellar in their roles as William Collins, Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Mr. Darcy, respectively.

For the most part, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” is a watchable creation. The costumes and sets are all atmospherically designed and easy to sink into, which only benefits the film. Each of the previously mentioned performances will easily appeal to audiences, even if the dialogue and plot become muddled on rocky roads of genre-indecisiveness.

Smith and Headey’s performances in particular offer enough comic relief to distract from the film’s blander moments. The movie works best when it’s not taken seriously. At times, the heft is thrown too heavily, but right on the cusp of drama becoming melodrama, “Pride And Prejudice and Zombies” reels it back. For a film where so much could have gone wrong (think “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”), “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” actually pulls through.

The film tries, rather valiantly and better than other films in its subgenre, to be many things. A period piece, that pairs romance and horror with action and comedy, the film comes with a bundle of dimensions and issues, only some of which it is able to overcome. With deeply romantic roots embedded in the original “Pride and Prejudice” source, content and action and horror coming from its later revival in the novel, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” this is a movie that at times seems to not even known what it wants to be, let alone what its audiences should see it as.

However, for all it’s worth and all that the end product ends up being, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” carries its heft with moments of lighthearted fun and endearingly convincing performances by its leads. Hosting a number of problems in logistics and its plot line, the film’s best moments are still able to overcome enough of the obstacles presented by its complicated genre-bending.