Year: 2015
Director: Henry Hobson
Me, I love zombies, but even I have to admit to being a bit over them by now. And after ‘Zombieland’, ‘In The Flesh’ and ‘Warm Bodies’, I’ve had my fill of ‘a new take’ on the genre as well. However, for one reason or another, I made an exception for Maggie, ‘a new take’ on the zombie genre starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. I’m always a bit wary of praising performances in films but Arnie is really good in this, like maybe the best he’s ever been. Really it’s only the accent to reminds you that he’s Sir Arnold of I’ll Be Backshire. Otherwise he pretty much inhabits the role of a loving father who must come to terms with his daughter’s impending zombie transformation, not to mention his inability to do anything about it. As you might imagine, seeing the man who played John Matrix made powerless in the face of a mere virus is the real kicker here, adding a layer of autumn-years nuance that really lifts the film, while Abigail Breslin as the pre-zombie in question is outstanding. Nevertheless, the film itself doesn’t quite rise to the level of its stars. The zombie-integration thing was done better in In The Flesh, the directorial style is a little unimaginative and the whole thing never really sets off in any worthwhile direction. Still, it’s a decent watch and with any luck the beginning of a career third act for Schwarzenegger.
Might appeal to people who enjoyed:
That bit at the beginning of Gladiator when he fondles the corn, except with greyer hues and more of a zombie theme.
I gave this one a swerve because although I like a good horror film I wasn’t sure just how much it would appeal – it struck me that if Breslin’s character isn’t a zombie yet, then isn’t it essentially just a Hollywood weepie about a kid with a terminal disease? If the big bad had been leukaemia instead of zombiedom it would barely have registered on my radar. Is there enough genre content to make it worth my while?
What differentiates it from that trope is the fact that by keeping Breslin at home, Arnie is putting the rest of his family in danger: when she turns, she will attack. His wife isn’t the girl’s natural mother so as well as the ticking-timebomb tension there’s a bit of paranoia and distrust resulting from that.
Trouble is the film just doesn’t go far enough in exploring that angle. It’s merely touched upon when it should be a central tentpole.
In contrast, I was disappointed that it wasn’t a film about someone sending a terminator back in time to kill a young Mrs Thatcher..