Maggie (2015)

Director: Henry Hobson

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, Joely Richardson

A teenage girl in the Midwest becomes infected by an outbreak of a disease that slowly turns the infected into cannibalistic zombies. During her transformation, her loving father stays by her side.

Think Arnold Schwarzenegger and you immediately think action film. Now think Schwarzenegger in a zombie film and you envision him kicking zombie ass with loads of gunfire and explosions. You couldn’t have been any wrong. ‘Maggie’ is the one and only zombie drama film I’m aware of. In fact, apart from a zombie in a flash back, there are no zombies to be seen…

Let’s face it, ‘Maggie’ is far from your average zombie film. It’s far from any Schwarzenegger film you’ve seen. Fans of Schwarzenegger and the zombie genre therefore might be disappointed in ‘Maggie’. But I was actually pleasantly surprised. Firstly by how sincere they treated the zombie genre. And secondly by Schwarzenegger’s dramatic and emotional performance.

‘Maggie’ revolves around a young girl named Maggie (Abigail Breslin), who was bitten by a zombie (only shown in back flashes). Unlike most zombie films where victims turn immediately, here it is depicted as a disease, slowly consuming its victim – almost like cancer. We follow Maggie’s ordeal with the ‘sickness’, and the effect it has on those around her – especially her Dad, Wade (Schwarzenegger). The film therefore is more of a character study. Breslin delivers a very good performance.

Having been bitten by a zombie – with no cure – we all know the inevitable, and this was also the film’s only suspense element. There’s no guts, no blood, no gore, no jump scares – none of the zombie traits we’re all too familiar with. This is a completely new take on the genre. It is a very well made movie with excellent make-up. It is a sad and heartfelt journey of emotion, with a father facing losing his daughter, and a young girl realizing she doesn’t have much time left.

‘Maggie’ is a one of a kind, unique zombie film, which I enjoyed. BUT, it definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

Would I watch it again? Yes.