User Reviews

Arnold Schwarzenegger's return to the big screen following his eight-year stint as the Governor of California was met with a triumphant cheer from fans of the ridiculous, over-the-top action movies that the Austrian actor helped popularize. Cranking out testosterone-laced like The Expendables 2, Escape Plan and Sabotage, it seemed like Arnold hadn't missed a step during his big- screen hiatus.

But amid all the gunfire and explosions and catchphrases, Schwarzenegger also managed to find time for some genuine acting. Set against the backdrop of a small Midwestern town in the aftermath of a deadly pandemic that produces zombie-like symptoms, Maggie opens with quiet family man Wade (Schwarzenegger) driving into the city to pick up his daughter (Abigail Breslin), who has just been diagnosed with the virus.

Unlike The Walking Dead, whose characters would resolve this problem with a well-placed shot from a crossbow or pistol, the world of Maggie is much more humane. There are numerous protocols in place for keeping the virus contained, including setting aside a quarantine zone where the infected are sent to live among each other until their condition deteriorates to the point where they must be euthanized.

Still in the early stages of infection, Maggie is allowed to return home with Wade, with the admonishment that she be taken to the quarantine zone once her symptoms become worse. Maggie's stepmother (Joely Richardson) sends her own children to stay with relatives as a precautionary measure, and the ramshackle farmhouse becomes a cradle of tension and sorrow as the family bides their time waiting for the inevitable.

If you strip out the zombie-related elements, this could just as easily have been any number of films about a teenager with a terminal illness - the only real difference here is that Maggie's affliction leaves her prone to grey skin, wounds that won't heal and a desire to consume raw flesh. Downplaying the horror in favor of focusing on the familial drama is a superb choice, and lends the film a distinct voice in the cacophony of an already crowded genre.

Maggie is easily the most emotional and melodramatic work of Schwarzenegger's career, a somber and melancholy affair that showcases a range we've never seen from the aging action superstar. His on screen relationship with Breslin feels authentic and believable, and it's hard not to sympathize with a loving father who knows his child is slipping away.

In his directorial debut, Henry Hobson knows just when to pull at the audience's heartstrings. There's very little in the way of conventional horror, which might disappoint some genre fans hoping for a few scares, but this shouldn't be seen as a shortcoming. Maggie is an interesting and unique approach to a subject that is often glossed over in other zombie-related stories, and the quieter moments are the ones that resonate the most.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the word 'zombie' was used even once in the story. I have a lot invested in this because I just watched two zombie flicks in a row ("Shaun of the Dead" and "Zombieland"), and it's going to get around that I've gone completely off the rails. So I'm going to put a lot more stock in the necroambulist virus angle the picture went with rather than straight out zombiefication.

Anyone looking for a recommendation on the film, be aware that it's a pretty dark affair and there aren't any light spots I can recall. Granted, you had Maggie (Abigail Breslin) out one afternoon with her friends but it's overshadowed by the somber and depressing nature of her disease. The picture actually scared me a few times with it's sense of foreboding, knowing that the only end in sight was death for anyone infected with the virus. The story line went to great pains to inform that of only three scenarios - quarantine, a pain inducing cocktail or a 'make it quick' death - all would end in the same way.

It was cool to see Schwarzenneger in a different kind of role here, one in which he doesn't have to muscle up and blow the screen away with wanton destruction. He even produces a tear agonizing over his daughter's fate, so that's saying something right there.

Oh well, I may wind up hating myself in the morning, but I guess this comes pretty close to a zombie film. But even with that admission, I'm not ready to concede that that was the most unbelievable part of the story. You know what was? How about when Officer Holt (J.D. Evermore) went after Wade? Who in their right mind tries to go one on one with Armold?

This movie is so bad Nick Cage didn't bother signing up for it! The best part of this movie was the ending, as in, it's over and I can now attempt to deal with the two hours I'll never get back.

Arnold as a Midwest farmer is as believable as Arnold as a Midwest farmer. Someone thought they could get the big man to show his acting range........fail. This movie is NOT scary for starters. If you're going to see a horror flick this ain't it. It's a bad drama with limited zombies and virtually no action. That being said I know, I know, it wasn't supposed to be an action movie. BUT, one would believe that a film that is about a zombie virus, with zombies, and Arnold would have something more than father and daughter moments.

So this is a drama. A pure drama genre movie meant to show the love of a father (Arnold) as he stands by his zombie infected eldest child (Abigail Breslin). It's depressing, slow, and the actors are unbelievable in each of their roles....with the exception of Abigail Breslin. Poor child deserved a better script to work with.

So if you're going to watch this be prepared to take a long nap.

Receiving his daughter Maggie's message, Wade Vogel retrieved her back to their house. The doctor releases her as a favor to his friend Verne, saying that Maggie is already on the initial stages of infection of a zombie virus. Wade sends his other two kids away. One day while playing outside, Maggie slipped and fall. She breaks a finger easily due to the infection. She cuts the rest of it and runs away and meets two neighbors Nathan and his daughter Julia, who have totally turned into zombies but still docile. Wade comes and whacks them. Police come but they don't blame Wade, but they warn him to bring Maggie to quarantine when the time comes. Late at night, Bonnie, Nathan's wife comes demanding to see Nathan's body. In the morning the police evacuate the bodies and arrests Bonnie. Wade visits the now empty house of Nathan, Bonnie and Julia and gets burdened by thoughts.

Wade takes Maggie for follow up medical check with Dr. Verne, who is also a close friend of Wade's. He tells Wade the options as the time comes when Maggie turns; bring her to quarantine, give the medications the patients getting at quarantine which is extremely painful, or make it quick and end Maggie's life himself. Maggie and Wade have a talk, remembering Sara, Wade's first wife and Maggie's mom. A school friend takes Maggie to a hangout where she meets Trent, a fellow infected. They have a talk about the moral dilemma of keeping infected people off quarantine. A few days later Trent calls Maggie to come to his house as his father is surrendering him for quarantine. Trent eventually gets forced by police to be moved to quarantine.

Going home, Maggie's body starts to give in to the infection's cannibalistic nature and she eats a caged fox but soon regains consciousness and gets terrified about it. Wade's wife leaves them disagreeing Wade's decision to keep Maggie off quarantine. Maggie now turns in and out of her consciousness and getting zombie symptoms. One night Maggie wakes up with her infection getting worse and she sniffs around the seemingly sleeping Wade. Wade has his gun ready but decides to wait. She kisses her forehead and goes away. Wade opens his eyes and readies his shotgun, which was missing its shell. Maggie goes to the roof and drops herself down.

This movie nicely presents a story about a zombie apocalypse that really feels different from any other zombie movies. Other movies seem to be trapped between the mainstream hack-and-slash action with runner zombies and the even more common variations of horror with walker zombies. But all those movies have one thing in common, the time for the infected to fully turning into zombies is relatively short, at around one week as the longest.

But by lengthening the turn time and making the infection grows as stages, the movie exposes a new and relatively unexplored angle in zombie themed movies which is the drama about moral contradiction between a survivor's love for his infected kindred and the impending danger of keeping close an infected person who may turn into a zombie at any moment.

The movie nicely puts this focus into its whole duration, maximizing the support of the bleak low almost contrast coloration. The story is made very much personal by the constant use of head-shot angle and zoom-ins. Yet the movie maintains a nice distance between the typical zombie movies by limiting the encounter with the fully turned zombies. The relative scarcity of dialog lines also helps the movie to maintain its overall mood of anxiety and desperation.

The acting overall is a good job for me. I am quite surprised to see Arnold Schwarzenegger managing to capture enough character for his role as a protective father. The accent sure didn't help at all in obtaining the authentic Midwestern feel for the character, but the movie's scarce dialog still makes his performance looks well enough. Abigail Breslin did very well in portraying her character's desperation and fear. Her mannerisms and body language played a very big part in this movie since her close ups fill most of her screen time.

A score of 6 out of 10 is from me for Maggie (2015). A recommendation only goes out for those of you who are curious enough about a new take on zombie themes or simply want to see Arnold Schwarzenegger play in a zombie movie. The movie is quite entertaining for me, but I don't recommend it if you're looking for a typical zombie movie.

A first time director makes a zombie apocalypse movie ? What's the gimmick ? you ask . How about a brooding , introspective film where not a lot happens and is directed in a very obvious independent style . Nothing too radical about that you say but here's the hook - sell it to the public by casting an erstwhile mega-star who despite being ultra popular with cinema goers in the 1980s and early 1990s was never an actor and cast him in a pivotal role that requires him to act . This might be playing with fire or at the very least seems like a cynical attempt to publicise a film in a market it's perhaps not suited for . Let's face it here guys , if you're old enough to remember Arnold Schwarzenegger then there's only one thing you're going to expect and that is over the top violence with weapons that never run out of ammunition and cringe inducing one liners

!!!!! SUGGESTIVE SPOILERS !!!!!!

And if you go in to this film expecting any of this you'll probably either fall asleep or stagger out of the cinema in a state of terminal boredom long before the end credits start . MAGGIE was originally going to star Paddy Considine in the role of Wade and director Henry Hobson deserves some credit in getting a fondly remembered big hitter as a casting coup . Again let me emphasise however you're not going to see much in the way of action because this is a character driven film concentrating on mood , long silences and pained facial expression . There's also another clue as to what you're going to be watching and that is the title of the film is MAGGIE and so it revolves around the titular teenage character played by Abigail Breslin finds herself succumbing by a terrifying disease that is sweeping the world . There is some very haunting , understated moments in this film which often feels more like a drama than an out and out horror and it's something of a revelation seeing Arnie in such an unusual role . I don't think he'll be up for Best Supporting Actor at next year's Oscars but it's good see him a film that cost a mere four million dollars which wouldn't get the average Hollywood star out of bed

It's not a flawless film of course . Hobson direction doesn't perhaps have the urgency the story perhaps needed more and means MAGGIE isn't as captivating as it should have been with a bit too much in the way of long pregnant silences . He's also a bit too reliant on close ups which becomes a little bit too noticeable very quickly . But despite these flaws for a movie costing four million dollars it's a fairly impressive feature length debut from a first time director

I think a lot of folks will like this movie. I think many more won't go out of their way to. This isn't to say it is not a watchable movie as it certainly is. What it requires is a lot of patience as it evolves slower than paint drying. It feels, on purpose, claustrophobic as per the situation the main characters have found themselves in. It's dark and depressing for the most part.

This is Arnold Schwarzeneegger like you've rarely, if ever, seen. He is in a dramatic role that, although has a little action, is the polar opposite of his usual shtick. I'd say he is good enough that he maybe ought to move in this direction more since 60+ action heroes have got to be a shrinking market any way you cut it. And, the girl who plays his doomed daughter brings a somber combination of humanity and suffering to a good level indeed.

Its the pace and the story that really didn't reel me in. I'm not immature, but I just couldn't invest enough in the story to wade through what felt like visual and mental molasses. I didn't finish it I readily admit as I lost that degree of interest. In fairness I heard an opinion by Dave Schrader on DarknessRadio that he felt it had some kind of good, or interesting, ending. I don't know...and am just not interested in this one enough to revisit it. Everyone is uniquely different and if you long for a very humanized zombie drama devoid of the usual head exploding action, and don't mind something slower than Heinz ketchup, check it out, At least you see Arnold can actually act outside of blowing up stuff and knocking people through walls.