by Mike Favila, Editor

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I first heard about Maggie.  The trailer gave some indication that this was going to be a different film than what we were used to from Arnold Schwarzenegger (the former Governator).  From the somber and melancholy piano tones, to the quick progression in events, I was really excited for this film to come out.  When this was released to theaters and on VOD, Maggie seemed to get mixed reviews.  As a long time Arnold fan, I was curious to make up my own mind on this unique film.

The basic premise is this: Abigail Breslin is Maggie, a teenager infected from a zombie bite.  She runs away from home in order to save her family from going through the ordeal with her.  Schwarzenegger plays her father, Wade, a quiet farmer who will do anything to save his family.  Pretty basic fare, correct?  The real quality lies in the execution of the setup.

Maggie is a much quieter film then we are used to from Schwarzenegger.  The soundtrack really indulges in the quiet space.  The score isn’t overly dramatic, the dialogue isn’t shouted, and everything is much more spare.  There are a few moments of levity which to help break up the tension, but for the most part Maggie really does have a sort of Death March quality about it.  You know she’s turning into a zombie.  They haven’t hinted in any way that there is a cure coming.  Arnold isn’t a strong armed genius who will suddenly generate a cure.  He’s not down a cross country drive through zombie territory to find said scientist.  It’s just not happening.

That contrast itself makes Maggie unique.  So often, Arnold plays the protagonist unwilling to accept mounting odds and then spends the rest of the movie overcoming said odds, to triumph greatly in the end.  It was hard for me to think of anything that Arnold couldn’t overcome.  Yes, even a zombie virus.

There’s a lot of forced back tears in Maggie.  Maggie trying to act strong.  Wade trying to act strong for her.  Joely Richardson trying to act strong for Wade.  It’s a cycle of waiting.  I have to admit that at times it’s kind of slow but it is definitely a new type of vehicle for the Austrian actor.  I appreciate that he’s not trying to hide the accent.  Then again, does Arnold ever?

He does save that acting effort for expressing/hiding his building sorrow without verbalizing it directly.  I commend writer John Scott III for not packing the script with a ton of exposition or useless dialogue.  Here, his face is filled with a never obvious well of sorrow.  His character’s strength isn’t that he is doing everything he can to stop it and if somehow works to strengthen him instead of smoothing it over like The Expendables or the new Terminator it revels in the age lines.

I confess that I haven’t seen very much of Abigail Breslin’s films but I can see why some people would consider her a big deal.  She alternates between disaffected childish ennui and deadly scared.  While those are some of the default settings for most teenagers, it’s interesting to see it mixed into a zombie flick.  When she asks him to end her suffering, it is heartbreaking.  Any parent can empathize at holding their child’s smaller hand and wanting to protect them.

The pace at which Maggie picks up comes together a lot faster than I expected, and eventually the slow parts don’t seem like they were very long at all.  Henry Hobson does a great job for his first full outing as a director, and more people should honestly give this movie a chance.  I love all the daylight in this film, and it doesn’t really decrease the dread.  Hobson isn’t going for scares as much as he is trying to imbue the viewer with a certain inevitability. Maggie is more drama than horror, and it works.

I didn’t necessarily expect the world out of this movie, but it is surprisingly nuanced and worthwhile.  The heaviness doesn’t make for repeat viewings, but I would definitely recommend Maggie to at least first time viewers.  It shows Schwarzenegger’s often underestimated range and is a new take on what is becoming a genre worn thin.  If you didn’t catch it in theaters, Maggie is easily available on VOD or BD.

Rating:  ComicsOnline gives Maggie  4 out of 5 fatal zombie nibbles!

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