Released: May 2015
Director: Henry Hobson
Run Time: 95 Minutes
Rated PG-13
Distributed by: LionsGate Studios
Cast:
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Wade Vogel
Abigail Breslin: Maggie Vogel
Joely Richardson: Caroline
Jodie Moore: Dr. Vern Kaplan
If there is a name to symbolize the action films of the 80s, it’s Arnold Schwarzenegger. This man helped shape the action genre during the 80s and 90s with his muscular build and commanding screen presence. He’s made a name for himself, starring in Conan: The Barbarian, The Terminator, Commando, and Predator. These are the movies that really put the man on the map. As far as his acting chops go, you could say that Schwarzenegger was always playing Schwarzenegger. He’s never really had to much in the way of emoting in most of his films. There was nothing wrong with that, as his movies would often speak for themselves. He’s had a huge success, and ever since returning to the film world after a two-term stint as California’s “Governator,” he seems to have gotten comfortable getting back into the action genre. He’s done action, science fiction, some horror and comedy. You would never have expected Schwarzenegger to star in a zombie movie, would you? I certainly didn’t, and you know what? It may be one of Schwarzenegger’s finest performances yet.
The film opens as young Maggie Vogel has run away from home to a post-apocalyptic city. Turns out that there was an outbreak of a virus that has apparently turned a good chunk of the population into flesh-eating zombies. After getting bitten by a zombie, Maggie is transported to a nearby hospital where her father, Wade finds her. After making an arrangement with the doctors, Wade takes Maggie home. Knowing that his daughter has only a matter of weeks before she becomes a zombie, Wade tries to find a way to not only keep her safe, but to spend as much time with her as possible in her final hours. As you may have guessed, this is a pretty bleak film. But unlike other zombie movies, Maggie doesn’t actually focus on the events surrounding the family, but rather the family itself, particularly the relationship between Wade and his daughter. One of the main staples of zombie movies is the fact that a protagonist is trying to comfort a victim of a zombie bite before they turn. The story in Maggie is very much a personal and intimate look at how something like a zombie apocalypse would affect a family. If you knew that a member of your family was sick and had only weeks to live, how would spend that time with them?
I’ve never truly been a huge fan of zombie movies. I’ve always felt that they were too formulaic and generally ripping off George A. Romero’s work. Maggie takes the genre and gives it a much more personal take on it, and it’s very refreshing to see the zombie film brought down to a family level. The whole zombie outbreak is just the backdrop for the drama that takes place on Wade’s farm. Unlike other zombie movies where a person will become a zombie mere hours after being bitten, this film posits the idea that the transformation would take weeks. As a result, the horror lies in Wade’s realization that there is nothing that he can do save several options towards the end of the line and none of them are happy. So, Wade takes the time to help his daughter, and spend some quality time with her. If you had told me several years ago that Arnold Schwarzenegger had the ability to do more than blow things up and give an Oscar-worthy performance, I would’ve laughed in your face. Maggie shows that not only can he act, but he can really deliver a performance that is equally emotional and compelling. I never would have expected that from the Austrian Oak. While Arnold is fantastic, the real standout is Abigail Breslin as Maggie. Her performance is extraordinary as a teenage girl who is forced to come to grips with her own mortality, and the fact that she doesn’t have a lot of time left. She’s incredibly likable and very charming, and that makes the tragedy of the story all the more potent. What really helps the story is the fact that it’s centered on a small farm in the Midwest, so there is a sense of isolation and desperation as people are forced to make desperate decisions to survive. For those wanting a more action-packed zombie movie, look elsewhere. You won’t find anything like that here.
Throughout the film you get to witness Maggie’s deterioration and her emotional reaction to what’s happening. The make-up effects are pretty good. It’s not a gory movie, but it is unsettling in how it portrays a victim decaying into something hideous. The relationship between Maggie and Wade is the real centerpiece to the movie and when it centers on that, the film is amazing. When it doesn’t, it does slow down a bit. I liked how the idea of zombies is taken realistically in Maggie. The infected are quarantined from the rest of the populace and people are arrested when they try to keep their infected loved ones from being taken into custody. While Maggie and Wade are the main stars of the film, it kind of sucks to see Joely Richardson’s character of Caroline get stuck on the sidelines. She’s not really given that much to do and it’s a shame as Richardson is a good actress. The music of the film is very understated and helps elevate the dramatic moments of the picture.
While Maggie has issues, the performances in the film are simply fantastic. Arnold Schwarzenegger gives the best performance of his career as a man who struggling to deal with a horrific situation, and Abigail Breslin is a revelation as the titular character. As far as zombie movies go, this is probably one of the most unique. Overall, I think Maggie is a fantastic film that focuses more on the family than the zombie outbreak. It’s worth watching at least once. Just don’t go in expecting it to be anything like Night of the Living Dead. It’s not that kind of movie. Maggie gets a solid 9/10.