Under the lens takes a deep look at films by focusing in on one or two particular areas of the picture that helped to define it for better or for worse. Spoilers will be included in this review.
Maggie is a horror-drama from Director Henry Hobson and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Abigail Breslin. This motion picture is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first foray into the zombie apocalypse genre. Maggie is an independent art-house film and is far removed from the blockbuster status of films like “World War Z” or any of the other zombie movies that have been released. It follows a teenage girl in the Midwest who 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.
Under The Lens: Family over zombies and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Family Drama:
The picture itself is more a family drama than a horror story and I can’t help feeling that the zombies could have been removed and replaced with some other menace, and the film would not have suffered. It revolves around a runaway girl named Maggie played by Abigail Breslin who is found and placed in a medical holding facility for having a zombie bite. Her father Wade, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger arrives and takes her home after being told by the doctors that he has 6-8 weeks before she “turns”. The rest of the film deals with how the main characters cope with impending doom and how the small community reacts with each other.
The story itself is unique in that it begins as the zombie infection is ending, a voice on the radio says that infections are down and life is returning to normal for the most part. It was fascinating watching a film that told a zombie story that did not involve the world or society collapsing. In fact society in the film exists with a government, local law enforcement, and medical facilities all functioning well. I rather enjoyed the setting as it allows the viewer to be more involved in the family narrative since the world at large is in no real danger of being overrun.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Arnold Schwarzenegger who is best known for his action roles turns in a very good performance as Maggie’s father. The role is quiet and very different than any role he has taken on before. This picture does show that with the right direction Arnold Schwarzenegger is capable of turning in work of a greater acting caliber. He showcased the sickening anguish of a father who can do nothing to save his daughter, even though it is all he wishes to do. It’s heartbreaking to watch.
Highlights
The cinematography for this picture was great and captured the sadness of the family it showed.
The picture really captured the apocalypse well, not the end of mankind per se, but the end of one family.
Something to think about
Did you like the pictures different take on a zombie outbreak?
Conclusion
Overall Maggie was a pleasant surprise. The direction from the first-time director Henry Hobson is good and does the job of bringing suspense and horror when needed. The music blended well with the type of direction and cinematography for this movie. The picture was tightly filmed in muted colors and showed the despair of the players well. It’s not what one would expect from a zombie picture, but that is perhaps its greatest strength.
