299 reviews
Veteran star Arnold Schwarzenegger shows some real depth and emotion in this decent horror drama that stresses something not always seen in a zombie feature film: the human element. Arnold plays Wade Vogel, a farmer struggling to cope with a fairly apocalyptic future. Many people are succumbing to what the makers of this film call "Necroambulist Virus"; in other words, zombification. Among them is Wades' teen aged daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin). He is determined to spend all the quality time with her that he can, while she can still appreciate it.
"The turn" into a zombie is a slow and drawn out process in this narrative, written by John Scott 3 and directed by Henry Hobson. It's painful for the loved ones of the victims to have to watch as the humanity steadily drains away. The story can be seen as a metaphor for any number of diseases, or even just the aging process itself. Ultimately, it's a yarn about learning to let go, which people like Wade find very hard to do. Some of his neighbors will go so far as to run contrary to common sense or the afflicted persons' best interests.
Suffice it to say, this is for people who want to see Arnold take on a different kind of challenge. It is nice, after all this time, to see him take more chances and grow as an actor. This isn't for fans who want to see him do bad ass things, which are few and far between. You don't even see very many zombies, or much gore, for that matter.
Set in the Midwest, but shot in Louisiana, this makes decent use of its locations, has a fine music score by David Wingo, and an appropriately drab picture quality.
Arnold does a creditable job as the star. Breslin does elicit quite a bit of sympathy. Joely Richardson rounds out the trio of Hollywood names as Wades' second wife, who is able to accept things that Wade cannot.
Arnold was also one of the many producers on this thing.
Seven out of 10.
"The turn" into a zombie is a slow and drawn out process in this narrative, written by John Scott 3 and directed by Henry Hobson. It's painful for the loved ones of the victims to have to watch as the humanity steadily drains away. The story can be seen as a metaphor for any number of diseases, or even just the aging process itself. Ultimately, it's a yarn about learning to let go, which people like Wade find very hard to do. Some of his neighbors will go so far as to run contrary to common sense or the afflicted persons' best interests.
Suffice it to say, this is for people who want to see Arnold take on a different kind of challenge. It is nice, after all this time, to see him take more chances and grow as an actor. This isn't for fans who want to see him do bad ass things, which are few and far between. You don't even see very many zombies, or much gore, for that matter.
Set in the Midwest, but shot in Louisiana, this makes decent use of its locations, has a fine music score by David Wingo, and an appropriately drab picture quality.
Arnold does a creditable job as the star. Breslin does elicit quite a bit of sympathy. Joely Richardson rounds out the trio of Hollywood names as Wades' second wife, who is able to accept things that Wade cannot.
Arnold was also one of the many producers on this thing.
Seven out of 10.
- Hey_Sweden
- Nov 9, 2016
- Permalink
First of all, this is not a horror movie. You might not even call it a zombie movie, even though people transform into zombies, urging the autorities to put people in quarantain which is the final stage before simply killing them. It's also not an action movie. IIt's an effective drama, that serves well as a metaphore for children groing up, transforming, and the inability of adults to transform with them. The biggest surprise is Arnold Schwarzenegger who makes you forget his action roots and is a loving father who choses his daughter above everything else. But It's mostly Breslin who sucks the audience into her slow and inevitable transformation, and the emotions that comes with it.
- CountJonnie
- Oct 19, 2019
- Permalink
This is in many ways a good, strange and different film, it is a zombie film, but not in the way you would expect, this is a drama about a dad finding and taking care of his daughter in her last days of an illness. The illness being she is turning into a zombie after she got bit and everything is treated in this film as it is just a terminal disease, there is no cure, there is a time frame, there is some signs to what is happening, but in the end you can't survive it.
It is a slow moving drama and really is the storyline and the characters and their interactions that is the film, we are talking a time frame of a week or so and we mainly follow Maggie and her dad and how they try to spend their last days together. We are slowly but steadily introduced to the plague that have been turning people into zombies and how people with the disease are being treated and eventually put away, because there is no cure, if you are bit, there are only three ways of going on, go to the camps where the rest of the zombies are kept, get some kind of shot that will kill you in a excruciating way or take the life of yourself by shooting, breaking your neck or other means.
It is a heartfelt movie that you really can't stop watching even though the story moves slowly ahead and it is not like any other zombie movie, it is insightful and interesting and really shows some aspects of life that has nothing to do with becoming a zombie, it could have been about any other terminal illness that can't be cured, but the zombie part is just a great twist to it all.
I was entertained and thoughtful after seeing it, it was really something other then I had expected.
It is a slow moving drama and really is the storyline and the characters and their interactions that is the film, we are talking a time frame of a week or so and we mainly follow Maggie and her dad and how they try to spend their last days together. We are slowly but steadily introduced to the plague that have been turning people into zombies and how people with the disease are being treated and eventually put away, because there is no cure, if you are bit, there are only three ways of going on, go to the camps where the rest of the zombies are kept, get some kind of shot that will kill you in a excruciating way or take the life of yourself by shooting, breaking your neck or other means.
It is a heartfelt movie that you really can't stop watching even though the story moves slowly ahead and it is not like any other zombie movie, it is insightful and interesting and really shows some aspects of life that has nothing to do with becoming a zombie, it could have been about any other terminal illness that can't be cured, but the zombie part is just a great twist to it all.
I was entertained and thoughtful after seeing it, it was really something other then I had expected.
Maggie is the film that finally shows an emotional side to zombie films. This movie is not about killing all the infected people in sight. I think that Maggie has a least four excellent performances. The best is definitely Abigail Breslin. It is Arnold Schwarzenegger who is going to bring people to the theatre to see this movie but it really is Breslin's film, she is really the star. Schwarzenegger however is not his normal self. The man can act, and I'm sure that this film will never receive the credit it should because Schwarzenegger is in it and people are too quick to judge it by its cover. Maggie is slow but the performances managed to keep me interested. The film is also dark which perfectly captures its tone. I think that people need to go into this movie with an unbiased mind and it could really be enjoyed.
First, the positives: I thought visually, the film did a good job of portraying a bleak America gradually succumbing to a zombie outbreak. The make-up was also reasonably well done given the film's small budget. The acting by the two leads was also decent with Schwarzenegger in particular showing a vulnerable side that is usually not present in his movies.
Sadly, the film is let down by an extremely weak script and some massive pacing issues. Simply put, nothing happens during the bulk of the movie. The director seems more worried about the mood of the film than actually developing any sort of engaging story. Basically, a father is trying to come to terms with the imminent death of his daughter - it's a story that has been told countless times in other, superior films and this movie doesn't really bring anything new to the table in that regard.
If you enjoy movies with a depressing atmosphere you might get something out of this, however anyone looking for an entertaining or engaging film should, in my opinion, look elsewhere.
Sadly, the film is let down by an extremely weak script and some massive pacing issues. Simply put, nothing happens during the bulk of the movie. The director seems more worried about the mood of the film than actually developing any sort of engaging story. Basically, a father is trying to come to terms with the imminent death of his daughter - it's a story that has been told countless times in other, superior films and this movie doesn't really bring anything new to the table in that regard.
If you enjoy movies with a depressing atmosphere you might get something out of this, however anyone looking for an entertaining or engaging film should, in my opinion, look elsewhere.
- italianricepie
- May 11, 2015
- Permalink
STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
A contagious virus has spread across America that is causing the infected to slowly mutate in to cannibalistic zombies. Wade Vogel's (Arnold Schwarzenegger) daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin) would be one such person, a young girl grimly aware of her terrible predicament. As the inevitable closes in, father and daughter bond in a final, all encompassing way, before they're drawn towards a terrifying final outcome.
After his much hyped comeback a few years ago, Schwarzenegger has achieved what can only at best be called the most hit and miss results with his new batch of explosive, '80s flavoured action films. There was still something resembling an audience, but most people's tastes have cleaned up quite a bit. And so, out of nowhere, it seems, he delivers this latest offering, which on paper comes off just like one of his regular shoot 'em up type films, with him versus zombies. But instead, he's taken such a plot line and given it a more mature angle, as a more tender and heartfelt examination of the final days of a father and daughter, that shows a departure from his usual type of fare.
As more emotionally driven as the plot is, it doesn't really have the best sense of structure or direction, and instead seems to be driven more on a moody, lingering sense of atmosphere and tension, with the lighting drained out and brightened up in subsequent shots to affect the mood. Debut feature length director Henry Hobson has shown a certain knack and sense of style behind the camera, but he needs to go back to school a little on his structural narrative abilities, and crafting a film that has somewhere to go in spite of it's heart.
So, we have it, then, Arnie's most bizarre film, ever, a totally unexpected and different effort from him that's appeared out the blue. In spite of it's strangeness, it's better than anything he's done lately, and shows a more mature and emotional side developing after so many years. ***
A contagious virus has spread across America that is causing the infected to slowly mutate in to cannibalistic zombies. Wade Vogel's (Arnold Schwarzenegger) daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin) would be one such person, a young girl grimly aware of her terrible predicament. As the inevitable closes in, father and daughter bond in a final, all encompassing way, before they're drawn towards a terrifying final outcome.
After his much hyped comeback a few years ago, Schwarzenegger has achieved what can only at best be called the most hit and miss results with his new batch of explosive, '80s flavoured action films. There was still something resembling an audience, but most people's tastes have cleaned up quite a bit. And so, out of nowhere, it seems, he delivers this latest offering, which on paper comes off just like one of his regular shoot 'em up type films, with him versus zombies. But instead, he's taken such a plot line and given it a more mature angle, as a more tender and heartfelt examination of the final days of a father and daughter, that shows a departure from his usual type of fare.
As more emotionally driven as the plot is, it doesn't really have the best sense of structure or direction, and instead seems to be driven more on a moody, lingering sense of atmosphere and tension, with the lighting drained out and brightened up in subsequent shots to affect the mood. Debut feature length director Henry Hobson has shown a certain knack and sense of style behind the camera, but he needs to go back to school a little on his structural narrative abilities, and crafting a film that has somewhere to go in spite of it's heart.
So, we have it, then, Arnie's most bizarre film, ever, a totally unexpected and different effort from him that's appeared out the blue. In spite of it's strangeness, it's better than anything he's done lately, and shows a more mature and emotional side developing after so many years. ***
- wellthatswhatithinkanyway
- Jun 3, 2015
- Permalink
"Dad, you've protected me all my life. Now it's my turn to protect you. There is life with you, not with me."
When you hear Arnold Schwarzenegger is starring in a zombie film you're probably expecting a full blown action movie similar to World War Z, but Maggie is the complete opposite. It's a slow burning drama where zombies slowly convert after being bitten. Schwarzenegger plays a father who is trying to protect his teenage daughter, Maggie (Abigail Breslin), who has been infected with the virus. The film begins with him driving to a hospital where Maggie is being held in quarantine. They allow Wade to take his daughter home so he can spend the last few days with her, but he must promise to bring her back when the virus begins to take full control of her. When they arrive back home her stepmother (Joely Richardson) is waiting for them so Maggie can say goodbye to her siblings before she takes them to her sister's house to keep them safe. The film basically moves at a very slow pace and it uses this innovative concept as the driving force of the narrative. It tries to introduce a world where the victims are still considered as people and not simply lifeless zombies where no one would hesitate to pull the trigger. It may be a fresh twist on the crowded and familiar zombie genre, but I felt it was simply a dull and boring experience that never brought anything interesting to the story other than introducing the unique premise. The cinematography is bleak and dark, but perhaps it's what works best in this lifeless film.
We've seen different approaches taken when it comes to the zombie genre, beginning with the familiar horror genre (Night of the Living Dead), and then explored in action movies (World War Z), comedies (Zombieland), and even in romantic comedies (Warm Bodies), but I don't think the subject had been approached in the past as a drama where you actually see the toll it takes on the victim and their family. That is where Maggie stands out from the rest of the films in the genre, but unfortunately it doesn't work because you never feel engaged with these characters. The narrative puts its emphasis on the concept, but leaves out any character development. We get some glimpses of Maggie's life in a couple of scenes where she goes out with her friends and spends time with her father, but there isn't much more than that so Maggie doesn't even work as a character study. It is simply a dull film that tries too hard to be a metaphor about a young girl facing a deadly disease.
The performances in this film have been praised by several critics, but I didn't find any of them groundbreaking. Breslin is a talented young actress and she delivers a solid role, but her character isn't given much to work with. Schwarzenegger is attempting something different, and perhaps that is why he is receiving some recognition for his work, but his range continues to be limited and I much prefer him in roles like The Last Stand where he is exploiting and having fun with the action hero stereotypes that made him such a famous star in the first place. Perhaps it was the overall pacing of the film that put me to sleep, but I just never was invested with any of these characters to enjoy the performances.
http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/
When you hear Arnold Schwarzenegger is starring in a zombie film you're probably expecting a full blown action movie similar to World War Z, but Maggie is the complete opposite. It's a slow burning drama where zombies slowly convert after being bitten. Schwarzenegger plays a father who is trying to protect his teenage daughter, Maggie (Abigail Breslin), who has been infected with the virus. The film begins with him driving to a hospital where Maggie is being held in quarantine. They allow Wade to take his daughter home so he can spend the last few days with her, but he must promise to bring her back when the virus begins to take full control of her. When they arrive back home her stepmother (Joely Richardson) is waiting for them so Maggie can say goodbye to her siblings before she takes them to her sister's house to keep them safe. The film basically moves at a very slow pace and it uses this innovative concept as the driving force of the narrative. It tries to introduce a world where the victims are still considered as people and not simply lifeless zombies where no one would hesitate to pull the trigger. It may be a fresh twist on the crowded and familiar zombie genre, but I felt it was simply a dull and boring experience that never brought anything interesting to the story other than introducing the unique premise. The cinematography is bleak and dark, but perhaps it's what works best in this lifeless film.
We've seen different approaches taken when it comes to the zombie genre, beginning with the familiar horror genre (Night of the Living Dead), and then explored in action movies (World War Z), comedies (Zombieland), and even in romantic comedies (Warm Bodies), but I don't think the subject had been approached in the past as a drama where you actually see the toll it takes on the victim and their family. That is where Maggie stands out from the rest of the films in the genre, but unfortunately it doesn't work because you never feel engaged with these characters. The narrative puts its emphasis on the concept, but leaves out any character development. We get some glimpses of Maggie's life in a couple of scenes where she goes out with her friends and spends time with her father, but there isn't much more than that so Maggie doesn't even work as a character study. It is simply a dull film that tries too hard to be a metaphor about a young girl facing a deadly disease.
The performances in this film have been praised by several critics, but I didn't find any of them groundbreaking. Breslin is a talented young actress and she delivers a solid role, but her character isn't given much to work with. Schwarzenegger is attempting something different, and perhaps that is why he is receiving some recognition for his work, but his range continues to be limited and I much prefer him in roles like The Last Stand where he is exploiting and having fun with the action hero stereotypes that made him such a famous star in the first place. Perhaps it was the overall pacing of the film that put me to sleep, but I just never was invested with any of these characters to enjoy the performances.
http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/
- estebangonzalez10
- May 29, 2015
- Permalink
- BrentHankins
- May 5, 2015
- Permalink
If you think of the movie's concept, you can't help but being positive about Maggie. Although this movie belongs to the zombie category, Maggie is an amazingly different film than those shoot-and-run zombie flicks we all know. Maggie follows the tragic transformation of a teenage girl in a by a sickness terrorised North-American countryside. I liked how the tragic and relatively slow scenery really made you feel a part of the grieving family, which is trying to make the best of the last time with the sick Maggie. It's a very tragic story, and seeing Maggie get more and more afraid when she's slowly transforming into a flesh-eating cannibal was in my opinion a job done well by the producers. However, the acting isn't good at all. Choosing Arnold Schwarzenegger for the role of a loving, caring and grieving father was a very bad decision. Schwarzenegger's acting skills are not made for a slow, low action movie, let alone for a character who's tender, afraid and protective. His heavy German accent was a total put off, since it just didn't fit in with the rest of the film. The acting of the other actors isn't to be cheered for either. I also missed a lot of dialogue. The characters are quite flat, and the conversations don't go that deep. Especially Schwarzenegger seems to be excellent in keeping his mouth shut. His sentences often don't go any further than 4 words. To be fair, he did say "Maggie, get in da car!", which may or may not have been a reference to his all famous line.
Overall, the movie wasn't too great. It wasn't bad either, but it did get pretty close. Too bad that this movie had a great amount of potential. It just needed different actors and better script writers.
Overall, the movie wasn't too great. It wasn't bad either, but it did get pretty close. Too bad that this movie had a great amount of potential. It just needed different actors and better script writers.
- classicsoncall
- Apr 10, 2016
- Permalink
A dismal attempt to make a zombie art film. Not zombie-horror, rather zombie-drama, which, The Walking Dead aside, I'm not really sure could ever work, even with a good script, which Maggie most certainly lacks. This somber downer takes itself way too seriously. There is literally not a single laugh, giggle, or even a smile throughout.
To make sure we know that this is a serious art film it's shot in bleak, muted colors and syrupy violins play mournfully on the soundtrack. With its gloomy, bland earnestness, Maggie comes across less like a zombie flick and more like a really bad disease-of-the-week TV movie, a disastrous approach which completely sucks all the fun out of the genre.
To make sure we know that this is a serious art film it's shot in bleak, muted colors and syrupy violins play mournfully on the soundtrack. With its gloomy, bland earnestness, Maggie comes across less like a zombie flick and more like a really bad disease-of-the-week TV movie, a disastrous approach which completely sucks all the fun out of the genre.
I think one of the reasons this film has a fairly low score is that a lot of people are seeing Arnie/zombies and thinking they are going to be watching a big budget blockbuster with Arnie running around blowing heads off. This, for me, was much better. It was slow moving, thoughtful and Arnie's performance as Wade in it was a revelation to someone who has never been a huge fan. Breslin's depiction of a troubled teen, Maggie, facing her own mortality and horrific end was subtle but effective. A lot of people have been questioning why make it a zombie film and not just any infection but without Maggie's disease making her ultimately dangerous, Wade would not have had to wrestle with his conscience in what he had to do, making the whole film pointless. If you preferred The Road to The Walking Dead then this is the film for you. If you're an Arnie fan expecting the usual fodder then I would suggest skipping this and digging out your Terminator box-set.
- sforrester-3
- May 23, 2015
- Permalink
First off I just want to say that this is my first review of any film. I attended the world premiere of Maggie last night at the Tribeca Film Festival and I am also a huge Arnold fan. It was great seeing him perform in a different (dramatic) role.
The cinematography in this film was absolutely stunning. From the location setting, the small town, old house; it was all well put together. I thought the cast was great and Arnold did a great job in his role but this film was focused on Abigail Breslin. And she stole the show. She outperformed the rest of the cast and made each viewer connected to her character very closely. Abigail had many scenes alone in this film and without giving too much away, there were times you can feel her pain and sort of understand what she was experiencing as the film progressed.
Maggie really shed new light to the zombie genre because it showed intimately how a family member was deeply affected by an outbreak. A father and daughter bond filled with love and courage and the chemistry played on screen between Arnold and Abigail was fantastic. Each character showed great passion throughout the film and it was well directed by Henry Hobson, his directorial debut.
I recommend this film to viewers who are interested in character development, great cinematography, a well written script, and a solid meaningful ending. Please don't come into this movie expecting The Walking Dead/ Zombieland type of action film because this isn't it. Hopefully Arnold will take on more of these roles in the future and from what we saw in Maggie, Abigail has a great career ahead of her. 9/10
The cinematography in this film was absolutely stunning. From the location setting, the small town, old house; it was all well put together. I thought the cast was great and Arnold did a great job in his role but this film was focused on Abigail Breslin. And she stole the show. She outperformed the rest of the cast and made each viewer connected to her character very closely. Abigail had many scenes alone in this film and without giving too much away, there were times you can feel her pain and sort of understand what she was experiencing as the film progressed.
Maggie really shed new light to the zombie genre because it showed intimately how a family member was deeply affected by an outbreak. A father and daughter bond filled with love and courage and the chemistry played on screen between Arnold and Abigail was fantastic. Each character showed great passion throughout the film and it was well directed by Henry Hobson, his directorial debut.
I recommend this film to viewers who are interested in character development, great cinematography, a well written script, and a solid meaningful ending. Please don't come into this movie expecting The Walking Dead/ Zombieland type of action film because this isn't it. Hopefully Arnold will take on more of these roles in the future and from what we saw in Maggie, Abigail has a great career ahead of her. 9/10
- mike-assim
- Apr 22, 2015
- Permalink
I'm a huge fan of the zombie genre, I'm a huge fan of Arnold..when I saw the trailer for this I was quite excited, what could be better? It looked like a dark, thought provoking, unique take on outbreak/zombie films. It was also refreshing to see Arnold in a more serious role.
The movie started a little slowly, it didn't seem that scary, but I figured it would get better... I kept waiting, and kept waiting, and it didn't get more interesting, it didn't get more scary, it didn't have any real plot or thoughtful story line to speak of.... and then it ended. When the credits started rolling I thought, no way, there has to be more.
Awful waste of time, I'm astounded this has any good reviews. Just awful.
The movie started a little slowly, it didn't seem that scary, but I figured it would get better... I kept waiting, and kept waiting, and it didn't get more interesting, it didn't get more scary, it didn't have any real plot or thoughtful story line to speak of.... and then it ended. When the credits started rolling I thought, no way, there has to be more.
Awful waste of time, I'm astounded this has any good reviews. Just awful.
- newhavenrealestate
- May 15, 2015
- Permalink
2015 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: Zombies have been all the craze for quite sometime with shows like "The Walking Dead" and films like "World War Z" dominating the box office. I've never been such a fan of the genre as something about the undead just hunting on human flesh never seemed appealing. In Henry Hobson's "Maggie," where he recruits Arnold Schwarzenegger and Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin as a father- daughter pair that spend the final days together before the young Maggie transforms into a zombie is one of the more compelling works on the genre seen yet.
Charismatic and truly very moving at times, it's surprising to see where debut screenwriter John Scott 3 brings this compassionate tale. We're introduced to Maggie as her father Wade, just after finds her after a two-week search. She's brought to their farm home where her step-mother Caroline (played by Joely Richardson) and her two younger siblings reside. As Maggie's transformation is sure to become erratic and certain, the entire family sits on the edge as their beloved daughter deals with not only her changing self, but addressing the surroundings of her friends and a future that is now to never be.
In his most reserved and accessible performances of his career, Arnold Schwarzenegger proves what happens when you work with some of the most talented people in the business for decades. You're surely to pick up some of their ticks and beats. Internalized as any performance seen by an actor, Schwarzenegger digs deep to show the soul of a broken man, helpless against a virus that is taking away his most precious gift. In addition, he fights for his daughter's right to live out her final days from the local authorities who believe she must go to quarantine, where the infected are put to death. It's a shocking display of emotion from the former governor of California in what will surely be a talking piece of many following a viewing.
Oscar-nominee Abigail Breslin truly is a talent. "Zombieland," which many will think of based on themes, kept her at an arm's distance in terms of allowing the environment to reveal itself through her actions. In other zombie films and TV shows, the ongoing theme and narrative is survival. "Maggie" takes it in a different direction. You see the deterioration of not just the person's body, but their hopes and dreams. Breslin displays the broken heart of a girl who sees her former boyfriend get taken away despite pleading with his father to stay just one more day. You see the realization of her new self in the behaviors she acquires along the way. And most importantly, and probably the most heartbreaking, is in the final interactions with her friends and in the truth of a future that will never come. Breslin shines like no other. It's happy to see her stretching her acting capabilities at this point in her career.
The technical traits of "Maggie" are spot on for the most part thanks to director Hobson. In his feature directorial debut, Hobson hones in on the tone of an emotional drama, not a horror film with something extra to offer. I think back to something like M. Night Shymalan's "The Sixth Sense" when the thrill factor was secondary to its story and characters. Hobson captures most of those things. Cinematographer Lukas Ettlin paints the canvas beautifully as we've seen in other efforts like "The Lincoln Lawyer" and TV's "Black Sails."
"Maggie" is a moving drama. Echoing the moods of hard-hitting films but with the charisma of any entertaining blockbuster you would see this summer. It's well worth every dollar of an admission ticket and is one of the more enthralling and captivating films of the spring.
Charismatic and truly very moving at times, it's surprising to see where debut screenwriter John Scott 3 brings this compassionate tale. We're introduced to Maggie as her father Wade, just after finds her after a two-week search. She's brought to their farm home where her step-mother Caroline (played by Joely Richardson) and her two younger siblings reside. As Maggie's transformation is sure to become erratic and certain, the entire family sits on the edge as their beloved daughter deals with not only her changing self, but addressing the surroundings of her friends and a future that is now to never be.
In his most reserved and accessible performances of his career, Arnold Schwarzenegger proves what happens when you work with some of the most talented people in the business for decades. You're surely to pick up some of their ticks and beats. Internalized as any performance seen by an actor, Schwarzenegger digs deep to show the soul of a broken man, helpless against a virus that is taking away his most precious gift. In addition, he fights for his daughter's right to live out her final days from the local authorities who believe she must go to quarantine, where the infected are put to death. It's a shocking display of emotion from the former governor of California in what will surely be a talking piece of many following a viewing.
Oscar-nominee Abigail Breslin truly is a talent. "Zombieland," which many will think of based on themes, kept her at an arm's distance in terms of allowing the environment to reveal itself through her actions. In other zombie films and TV shows, the ongoing theme and narrative is survival. "Maggie" takes it in a different direction. You see the deterioration of not just the person's body, but their hopes and dreams. Breslin displays the broken heart of a girl who sees her former boyfriend get taken away despite pleading with his father to stay just one more day. You see the realization of her new self in the behaviors she acquires along the way. And most importantly, and probably the most heartbreaking, is in the final interactions with her friends and in the truth of a future that will never come. Breslin shines like no other. It's happy to see her stretching her acting capabilities at this point in her career.
The technical traits of "Maggie" are spot on for the most part thanks to director Hobson. In his feature directorial debut, Hobson hones in on the tone of an emotional drama, not a horror film with something extra to offer. I think back to something like M. Night Shymalan's "The Sixth Sense" when the thrill factor was secondary to its story and characters. Hobson captures most of those things. Cinematographer Lukas Ettlin paints the canvas beautifully as we've seen in other efforts like "The Lincoln Lawyer" and TV's "Black Sails."
"Maggie" is a moving drama. Echoing the moods of hard-hitting films but with the charisma of any entertaining blockbuster you would see this summer. It's well worth every dollar of an admission ticket and is one of the more enthralling and captivating films of the spring.
- ClaytonDavis
- Apr 26, 2015
- Permalink
If you are looking for action, rent a different Arnold movie. If you are looking for a good zombie apocalypse movie you will not find it here. Arnold gives a great dramatic performance. That is all that can be said about this movie in a positive tone. When was the last time you went to an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie to review the emotional content of his acting? Aside from that the sets in the movie would have you believe that mid-western America is populated by circa 19th century chipping lead painted slat sided houses with poor insulation and quasi plaster walls. At least it was revealed that indoor plumbing was in use. Schwarzenegger is listed in the ending credits as a Producer of this train wreck, which action purposes, a train wreck could have helped it. What is this movie? It is a tale of a loving father and his misunderstood zombie daughter caught in the turmoil of a worldwide apocalypse of unknown origin, and how he must come to grips with the inevitable mass euthanasia that is zombiedom.
- redwarlock
- May 16, 2015
- Permalink
- Theo Robertson
- May 11, 2015
- Permalink
A zombie centred film that moves slower than that famous torso zombie last seen at the end of Walking Dead season 1, crawling its way through the local park only to be put out of its misery by Rick "cowboy hat" Grimes, Maggie sees the political Governator and one time action stalwart Mr. Schwarzenegger try his hand in a dramatic tale that never bothers to more than shuffle to its oft signposted climax.
Maggie is an intriguing set up and the Governator actually equites himself well in the roll of unlucky father Wade Vogel, showing an almost unrecognisable inward solace and lack of macho behaviour that marks this turn as easily his best since retiring from the California governor's position. The problem with Maggie however is in its execution and with first time director Henry Hobson at the helm, a weakish script from John Scott 3 and another so-so turn from once child critical darling Abigail Breslin, Maggie dooms itself with some self-inflicted problems that just can't be overcome.
Hobson's direction is often so aimless that the audience will struggle to maintain focus and while there's a neat visual aesthetic to the whole production, Maggie fails to make much of its confines set largely around the rural property where Maggie has retired to whilst dealing with her zombification and you can't help but feel Scott 3's story would've worked much better in a short story format not a 90 minute feature length trudge. For Maggie to have succeeded we needed more emotionally engagement and in fact more Arnie, who for long stretches of film time finds himself either chopping wood or just not on screen at all and in a film crying out for more "events" to happen, more grizzled Governator could've been this films saving grace.
A very neat idea not realised in the slightest, Maggie is a curious watch for all long serving fans of Arnold Schwarzenegger but for a zombie film that is crying out for more of a pulse, even he can't save this newest addition to the zombie film canon from being dead on arrival. If only Rick Grimes could've waltzed along and put Maggie out of her misery, he could've saved us all from this slow boring crawl.
1 SOS to Rick Grimes out of 5
Maggie is an intriguing set up and the Governator actually equites himself well in the roll of unlucky father Wade Vogel, showing an almost unrecognisable inward solace and lack of macho behaviour that marks this turn as easily his best since retiring from the California governor's position. The problem with Maggie however is in its execution and with first time director Henry Hobson at the helm, a weakish script from John Scott 3 and another so-so turn from once child critical darling Abigail Breslin, Maggie dooms itself with some self-inflicted problems that just can't be overcome.
Hobson's direction is often so aimless that the audience will struggle to maintain focus and while there's a neat visual aesthetic to the whole production, Maggie fails to make much of its confines set largely around the rural property where Maggie has retired to whilst dealing with her zombification and you can't help but feel Scott 3's story would've worked much better in a short story format not a 90 minute feature length trudge. For Maggie to have succeeded we needed more emotionally engagement and in fact more Arnie, who for long stretches of film time finds himself either chopping wood or just not on screen at all and in a film crying out for more "events" to happen, more grizzled Governator could've been this films saving grace.
A very neat idea not realised in the slightest, Maggie is a curious watch for all long serving fans of Arnold Schwarzenegger but for a zombie film that is crying out for more of a pulse, even he can't save this newest addition to the zombie film canon from being dead on arrival. If only Rick Grimes could've waltzed along and put Maggie out of her misery, he could've saved us all from this slow boring crawl.
1 SOS to Rick Grimes out of 5
- eddie_baggins
- Jul 25, 2015
- Permalink
OK, to make a long Story short, I actually didn't expect any Thing from this film. It sounded like a really fuc.... B-Movie.... but....
No, it is not!!! Arnie Acts in this film like never seen before, yeah, it is quite unusual, but hell yeah, I like that. Of Course, nothing to do here, the film is more quiet and about the relationship between him and the Family, but hell yeah, Arnie managed it real good. I was very impressed seeing him as a loving Father without seeing him killing all the bad guys at once. No, I actually has been very impressed, Arnie Acts like a real father and I saw tears... yes, unbelievable, but it really fits into it This film is like a B-Movie, but I really like the way how it goes and wow, Arnie is great in the role of an old loving Father.
Like this very very much! Not to see every night, but I think it is a real good one.
Sorry for my English, I'm from Germany! Many Greetings!
No, it is not!!! Arnie Acts in this film like never seen before, yeah, it is quite unusual, but hell yeah, I like that. Of Course, nothing to do here, the film is more quiet and about the relationship between him and the Family, but hell yeah, Arnie managed it real good. I was very impressed seeing him as a loving Father without seeing him killing all the bad guys at once. No, I actually has been very impressed, Arnie Acts like a real father and I saw tears... yes, unbelievable, but it really fits into it This film is like a B-Movie, but I really like the way how it goes and wow, Arnie is great in the role of an old loving Father.
Like this very very much! Not to see every night, but I think it is a real good one.
Sorry for my English, I'm from Germany! Many Greetings!
- sh-shopping
- Mar 9, 2017
- Permalink
I don't even know where to start with this movie. The concept was unique and that's about where anything resembling interesting ends.
Make no mistake, this is not an action, comedy, horror, or suspense. This was a full on drama chalked full of scenes of long car rides, aimless walks, and lots of silent reflections. The only problem with this drama, I am not sure who the demographic is here. Its a zombie themed movie that certainly the older generation that is more into reflective dramas like this would not be into. But then its not for young ADHD generation who can't sit through a 2 hour long snoozefest. The whole movie I was hoping for a payoff at the end when the incredibly difficult decision that whatever the dad's name is has to make, is decided....but it never happens. The movie just ends and the dad never makes the call.
And of course that's on top of the fact you have to believe that Arnold whos in his 70s would be married to a 40ish year old woman and have an oldest daughter in her teens. Riiight. I imagine the negotiations went something like this...
Producers: OK Arnold, You're a cagey old lovable grandpa with a teenage granddaughter and....
Arnold: Let me stop you right there...I'm the dad.
Producers: *shuffling papers* uhh ya, OK you're the dad. And your daughter has 2 young children, I mean your wife...Ahh screw it. Here's a bunch of money.
Arnold: I only use grenade launchers and I won't say "I'll be back"
Producers: Uhhh, here's even more money and the script.
Make no mistake, this is not an action, comedy, horror, or suspense. This was a full on drama chalked full of scenes of long car rides, aimless walks, and lots of silent reflections. The only problem with this drama, I am not sure who the demographic is here. Its a zombie themed movie that certainly the older generation that is more into reflective dramas like this would not be into. But then its not for young ADHD generation who can't sit through a 2 hour long snoozefest. The whole movie I was hoping for a payoff at the end when the incredibly difficult decision that whatever the dad's name is has to make, is decided....but it never happens. The movie just ends and the dad never makes the call.
And of course that's on top of the fact you have to believe that Arnold whos in his 70s would be married to a 40ish year old woman and have an oldest daughter in her teens. Riiight. I imagine the negotiations went something like this...
Producers: OK Arnold, You're a cagey old lovable grandpa with a teenage granddaughter and....
Arnold: Let me stop you right there...I'm the dad.
Producers: *shuffling papers* uhh ya, OK you're the dad. And your daughter has 2 young children, I mean your wife...Ahh screw it. Here's a bunch of money.
Arnold: I only use grenade launchers and I won't say "I'll be back"
Producers: Uhhh, here's even more money and the script.
A beautiful film in regards to its humanity as shared through the film's characters.
A family is confronted by their teenage daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin) who is contaminated with a dreadful disease which is Zombieism. She did not catch it inadvertently but caught it by having been bitten while out in an escapade on a night out when the town was invaded by zombies when she new it was forbidden to go. Teenage rebellion against the family like the two brats in the movie 28 weeks later that caused the destruction of London and Paris.
Now, this movie depicts what it would be like if a member of a family would be confronted with a contagious disease which is irreversible and that only the death of the infected one can preserve the safety of the others.
Indeed, the movie goes on a step by step development of the contagion of Maggi and the results on her environment such as family, friends and other members such as the police, doctor which will lead her at the end to commit suicide.
The only problem I have with the movie is this: Can life continue as usual with an extreme infected member of the family? Further more, with such an infection in this case Zombieism, at what moment does Maggie lose her humanity since all along the movie it is said that she should be quarantined ipso facto. A reference to the Anne Frank Diaries is a must to understand life as usual in extreme conditions.
In fact, all along the movie she shows no loss of her humanity. We can clearly see this in the scene where Wade Voegel (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sleeping on a sofa and Maggie approaches and smells him. Her transformation to a complete zombie has not yet peaked to the irreversible.
However, if the doctor and police insist she be put away, have they lost their humanity knowing there is nothing that can be done and to save the rest of the population Maggie must be killed? Who is truly human here?
We can also ask, how far will a family go in denial or semi-denial? Does denial mean keeping one eye open while sleeping?
At the end, she commits the inevitable by putting an end to her life.
I ask myself this question: Was she dead at the moment she was bitten and her loving family going into denial or did slowly die as to have a family act in a way to have her live live as long as possible with them showing the last of their humanity as they know it when she dies.
As Hamlet would state it: To kill her immediately or not to kill her immediately, that is the question.
A family is confronted by their teenage daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin) who is contaminated with a dreadful disease which is Zombieism. She did not catch it inadvertently but caught it by having been bitten while out in an escapade on a night out when the town was invaded by zombies when she new it was forbidden to go. Teenage rebellion against the family like the two brats in the movie 28 weeks later that caused the destruction of London and Paris.
Now, this movie depicts what it would be like if a member of a family would be confronted with a contagious disease which is irreversible and that only the death of the infected one can preserve the safety of the others.
Indeed, the movie goes on a step by step development of the contagion of Maggi and the results on her environment such as family, friends and other members such as the police, doctor which will lead her at the end to commit suicide.
The only problem I have with the movie is this: Can life continue as usual with an extreme infected member of the family? Further more, with such an infection in this case Zombieism, at what moment does Maggie lose her humanity since all along the movie it is said that she should be quarantined ipso facto. A reference to the Anne Frank Diaries is a must to understand life as usual in extreme conditions.
In fact, all along the movie she shows no loss of her humanity. We can clearly see this in the scene where Wade Voegel (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sleeping on a sofa and Maggie approaches and smells him. Her transformation to a complete zombie has not yet peaked to the irreversible.
However, if the doctor and police insist she be put away, have they lost their humanity knowing there is nothing that can be done and to save the rest of the population Maggie must be killed? Who is truly human here?
We can also ask, how far will a family go in denial or semi-denial? Does denial mean keeping one eye open while sleeping?
At the end, she commits the inevitable by putting an end to her life.
I ask myself this question: Was she dead at the moment she was bitten and her loving family going into denial or did slowly die as to have a family act in a way to have her live live as long as possible with them showing the last of their humanity as they know it when she dies.
As Hamlet would state it: To kill her immediately or not to kill her immediately, that is the question.
- danielepinat
- Apr 19, 2016
- Permalink
- AudioFileZ
- May 11, 2015
- Permalink
Post-apocalyptic dramas are actually fun to watch due to their fast pace and suspense-filled deaths. But, Maggie, which can be categorized in the borderline of drama and thriller genres is nothing much to talk about.
An epidemic has taken control of the world as there is no sign of any vaccine or cure. Mostly because not even once in the film has the cause or origin of the mutation discussed. All one will see in the film is a teenager named Maggie (Breslin) introspecting about why this diseased life was awarded to her and her gloomy father (Schwarzenegger) fooling around in the farm, doing specifically nothing. To put it simply, there is no action in the plot neither is there any development. The cinematography focuses onto the protagonists' faces and I could even count the number of hair in Breslin's left nose hole. 17, from the scene I observed towards the end. But it could be 18 or 19.
The snail-paced screenplay throws nothing much for its audience to chew, which is like being handed the popcorn basket with no popcorn in it. One will realize that there's nothing more in store for the film to show by as early as the 20th minute. While one can understand the dullness of the thematic film, the degree is unbearable and ennui-inducing, with no respite even in the climax. Schwarzenegger is fine.
If you are expecting a thrill ride like other popular films in the genre, then Maggie is going straight where the patients in the film go - quarantine.
BOTTOM LINE: Maggie is a boring drama that forces its audience to await the metamorphosis of a normal person into a zombie, which by the time results in nothing but the metamorphosis of the viewer himself. Avoid.
RATING: 2 stars out of 10.
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES
An epidemic has taken control of the world as there is no sign of any vaccine or cure. Mostly because not even once in the film has the cause or origin of the mutation discussed. All one will see in the film is a teenager named Maggie (Breslin) introspecting about why this diseased life was awarded to her and her gloomy father (Schwarzenegger) fooling around in the farm, doing specifically nothing. To put it simply, there is no action in the plot neither is there any development. The cinematography focuses onto the protagonists' faces and I could even count the number of hair in Breslin's left nose hole. 17, from the scene I observed towards the end. But it could be 18 or 19.
The snail-paced screenplay throws nothing much for its audience to chew, which is like being handed the popcorn basket with no popcorn in it. One will realize that there's nothing more in store for the film to show by as early as the 20th minute. While one can understand the dullness of the thematic film, the degree is unbearable and ennui-inducing, with no respite even in the climax. Schwarzenegger is fine.
If you are expecting a thrill ride like other popular films in the genre, then Maggie is going straight where the patients in the film go - quarantine.
BOTTOM LINE: Maggie is a boring drama that forces its audience to await the metamorphosis of a normal person into a zombie, which by the time results in nothing but the metamorphosis of the viewer himself. Avoid.
RATING: 2 stars out of 10.
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES