Maggie isn't your typical zombie movie

Movie:   Maggie

PG-13, 1 hour 35 minutes

Grade:  C

In a Nutshell:   Arnold Schwarzenegger kicking zombie butt….what’s not to like?  Well, it’s not as exciting as that sounds.  In fact, there aren’t very many actual zombies in this post-apocalyptic movie. Instead, the film focuses on what it would be like to watch a loved one slowly “turn”…..slowly being the key word here.  In this version of the popular zombie genre, it takes 4-6 weeks to turn after a bite. The movie is so slow-moving that it might feel like 4-6 weeks.

That being said, there are some poignant moments that make you wonder how you might act in similar situations.
  

Uplifting Theme:

·         Blood is thick, but zombie juices are thicker.  Ha ha

·        Life is made up of moments and memories.

Things I liked:

·        Good on first-time director Henry Hobson for snagging some Hollywood names like Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, and Joely Richardson.

·         Is it terrible to admit I kind of enjoyed watching Maggie’s slow decay into a zombiehood?  The special effects were pretty good.

Things I didn’t like:

·         Not nearly enough zombies.  Have I been watching too much The Walking Dead: Season 1 ?
      There are some really stupid, selfish decisions made that put others at risk.  For example, Maggie’s finger starts to fall off and she drips blood all over the family’s food on the kitchen counter.  Nice, Maggie.

·         A lot of the scenes are really dark, so it’s often hard to see what’s going on.

·         I’ve always really liked Joely Richardson, but her fake Southern accent was unnecessary.

·         The pacing is so slow that there is plenty of time to run to the bathroom without missing anything.  Wait, maybe I should put this point under the "Things I Liked" section...

I was hoping for a bigger payoff...a bigger ending.  Then again, it perfectly matched the tone of the movie.

Tips for Parents:

·         Some profanity.  
*    Some deaths, but not much considering there are zombies around.

Here's another zombie movie that is different from the cliched monster thrillers: