Conceptually, I applaud "Maggie". There are so many zombie films and it is hard to really stand out in such a crowded genre. "Maggie" tries to do something different and not focus on an epidemic as a whole but one family's struggle to cope with a loved one's transformation into a zombie.
It's such a shame the whole thing is such a slog to get through. Shot in dour shades of grey and featuring a heavy-handed score, "Maggie" is a chore to get through, even at a mere 95 minutes. Directed by Henry Hobson and written by John Scott 3, both making their respective debuts, "Maggie" shows promise for a new director and writer. They have interesting ideas but trouble putting those ideas into one fluid movie.
As the film opens, a virus is already spreading. Wade (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is looking for his daughter, Maggie (Abigail Breslin), who has been affected by the virus. The virus, over time, will turn Maggie into a zombie and she slowly starts to show signs of changing. She moves back in with her fiercely protective father and his second wife (Joely Richardson) to wait for the inevitable to happen.
As "Maggie" languidly moves along, a sensitive portrayal by Schwarzenegger anchors the whole movie. There is not an ounce of Schwarzenegger's standard action persona in any frame of this film. Instead, he portrays Wade's determination and loyalty towards his daughter, fighting for her to stay with him when the police want her quarantined. Breslin is strong as Maggie, trying to adapt to drastic changes that are happening to her. She continues to be an impressive young actress.
Schwarzenegger and Breslin work so well together and are put in such potentially emotional scenes that could have made "Maggie" great. Instead, the script never fully realizes the heartbreak at the center of the story or takes an opportunity to achieve a more dramatically satisfying arc. The movie feels tired and flat every step of the way.
I appreciate what "Maggie" wanted to do more than what it did. There are interesting ideas in this movie and a different spin on the zombie tale and father-daughter narrative. While many zombie films have been making the transformation happen faster and faster - to the point that it took only seconds in "World War Z" - in "Maggie" it can take six to eight weeks to occur. The filmmakers wisely realize that two months of impending doom can be just as terrifying as the typical fast-acting virus. If the screenplay could have committed to fully fleshing out this story, "Maggie" would have been something memorable instead of something frustrating.
| Movie title | Maggie |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2015 |
| MPAA Rating | PG-13 |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | This zombie film has some clever ideas but is ultimately lifeless. |
