The zombie film genre is primarily made up of stories that follow a group of survivors avoiding infection. Henry Hobson’s Maggie goes against that tradition and features a narrative from the very perspective of the infected. Rather than depict the same tired virus that works instantly, this zombie disease takes weeks before it claims its victim. The slower process lends a sense of realism to the film, making the virus relatable to a real world terminal disease and allows the story to focus on a young infected girl dealing with her impending doom.
A medical center littered with skin rotting patients paints a hellish picture for this ravaged Midwest town. Wade Vogel (Arnold Schwarzenegger) arrives here to retrieve his recently infected daughter, Maggie (Abigail Breslin). He’s allowed to bring her back home with a stern warning. As soon as she exhibits symptoms of “the turn” she must be transported to a quarantine facility. Until then, Wade is advised to enjoy the time he has left with his daughter. This bleak set up is followed by a tale of morality and the unconditional love a father has for his daughter.
Maggie’s infection is dealt with a restraint you don’t normally see in the genre. Hobson’s film has no interest in the glorification of blood and gore. The camera does not linger on Maggie’s bite wound. It doesn’t need to because just the sound of her scratching it is enough to make you squirm. The changes in her appearance are slow and subtle and the sound design does an exceptional job of getting the viewer inside Maggie’s head as she struggles to hold on to her humanity.
Cinematographer Lukas Ettlin’s photography is lush and epic. Each wide shot of the Vogel farmhouse and surrounding land seem like they were taken straight out of a Terrence Malick film. Unfortunately, some of the more emotionally devastating scenes are hurt by the over-the-top score. The unconditional love that Wade displays for Maggie is the heart of the film and the strong performances from Schwarzenegger and Breslin could have benefited from a less manipulative score. Despite the occasional melodrama, Maggie provides some truly touching moments leading up to a hair raising and unexpected finale. While Schwarzenegger’s presence would suggest otherwise, Maggie is not an action movie. It’s actually a contained psychological drama neatly wrapped inside a genre film blanket and a welcome addition to the zombie film canon.
