The Horror Show
Maggie
by Henry Hobson
I’ve heard there are a lot of mixed emotions when it comes to Maggie. Initially, everybody was losing their minds over an Arnold Schwarzenegger zombie flick. But unfortunately what a lot of people find it comes down to is that a zombie movie can’t have any substance. It needs to be an action-packed thrill ride from start to finish. If you recall, last year I reviewed a film called The Battery, a perfect example of how a strong story can impress in the zombie genre without a whole bunch of blood, gore, and action.
With that being said, Maggie is a film I thoroughly enjoyed.
The world of Maggie is in a strange limbo, just barely hanging on to civilization while at the same time walking that fine line of post-apocalyptic “point of no return” territory. A zombie virus, cleverly known as Necro-Ambulatory Disease, has practically destroyed the world, and as people are attempting to rebuild, some just can’t seem to let go of their loved ones, even if they’re infected.
The movie really shows the other side of the zombie apocalypse. What happens when humans can take control, find a means to eradicate and quarantine, and try to “get back to normal”? I recently addressed this in a blog post for the Summer of Zombie tour. The idea of allowing infected people to return to their homes and die peacefully is, while terribly inhumane, absurd. While humanity is rebuilding, who in their right mind would allow walking time-bombs out of their sight?
Maggie explores this, albeit slowly. A father’s love for his daughter is strong, and he will allow nothing to stand in the way of caring for his daughter during her last days. As the title character slowly rots from the inside out, she becomes a danger to her family, the smell of their flesh tempting her and the mere sight of her frightening them.
We also get to see glimpses of other families and their poor decision making during trying times. One woman is unable to contact authorities or take care of the problem herself once her family succumbs to the virus, putting others at risk. Another father has to stand by idly while the authorities savagely handle his son’s situation because he couldn’t.
Aside from plotline and flawless acting (you shut your mouth, I love Arnold no matter what he does), the ambient sounds of a building storm are heard throughout the film. Perhaps symbolism of the impending storm brewing in the characters’ lives. The cinematography is beautiful and overall, Maggie is a film done well. I think for most self-proclaimed fans of Dystopian Fiction, this is another film that will join the ranks of The Battery (2012) or The Returned (2013) in my book, exhibiting raw humanity. While that’s a good thing for me, it won’t be for others.
Stevie Kopas, HMS
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