Review: Maggie

Those expecting to see Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Terminator himself, kicking zombie ass in Maggie are in for a surprise. Taking an uncommon approach to a genre that shows little sign of abating in popularity, Maggie is less about the horrors of a zombie attack and more about the moral quandary faced by families whose loved ones have been infected by the necroambulist virus.

The Vogels are one such family, with patriarch Wade (Schwarzenegger) seen retrieving his afflicted daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin) from a government quarantine zone at the start of the film. There is nothing to be done for Maggie's condition - she will turn into a zombie in six to eight weeks time - but Wade wants her to spend her last human days in the comfort of her own home. Maggie's stepmother Caroline (Joely Richardson), though loving and supportive, clearly has concerns as do the local cops who believe Maggie to be an imminent threat to the safety of her family and the community.

The family doctor warns Wade that Maggie's disease is rapidly spreading and Wade has but three options: take her to quarantine, give her a drug treatment that will cure nothing but cause her extremely horrible pain, or quickly put her out of her misery. As the signs become ever more pronounced - milky eyes, spider veins, scabbed sense, a sense of smell highly tuned to human flesh - Wade must confront the inescapable fact that not only must his daughter die, but he will be the one making the decision for her time of death.

Heady themes come into play in John Scott 3's screenplay. Is Caroline's fear borne out of pragmatism or because Maggie is her daughter in name only? Would Caroline react the same way if one of her own children were infected? Will Wade take his own daughter's life or hand her over to the authorities, who will only throw her in a room full of other cannibals in the making so they can feed on one another? Will Wade's bottomless love for his daughter stave off the inevitable? All intriguing questions to ponder, but director Henry Hobson undermines the strengths of the script with overly ominous sound design and dim lighting. A title designer by trade, Hobson is going for a specific colour palette but the various shades of grey result in the film feeling weighed-down.

The film is too solemn and pondering by any standard, but it is worth a look for the performances of its two leads. Breslin convinces as Maggie transitions from victim to predator. Schwarzenegger turns in a remarkably subdued portrayal. The warmth and generosity these two share lend a richness to their characters' relationship, making their dilemma all the more touching.

Maggie

Directed by: Henry Hobson

Written by: John Scott 3

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, Joely Richardson