The glamour of the action star can fade over the years, but it can also be a bit stifling. How is an actor expected to show off their talents if all they’re ever asked to do is shoot guns and punch people? Arnold Schwarzenegger is known for his action exploits, but his starring role in the 2015 filmMaggiedemonstrates his range.
Thecultural impact of zombieshas enjoyed a substantial up and down over the past couple of decades. The zombie craze overtook pop culture for a few years, followed by years of audience distaste for the concept. It’s back in the realm of neutral additives today, but 2015 wasn’t kind to the undead.
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What IsMaggieAbout?
Maggietakes place several years after theoutbreak of a pandemicthat turned a substantial chunk of the population into zombies. As the film opens, the authorities have the disease mostly under control, thanks to a somewhat Draconian quarantine system. Farmers burn their fields to prevent the infection from spreading. Armed guards surround hospitals. Infected individuals are squirreled away in disgusting quarantine facilities. Schwarzenegger stars as Wade Vogel, a farmer searching through ruined cities to find his daughter Maggie. Wade finds Maggie in a quarantined zone, where he discoversshe’s already been bitten. Her skin becomes pale, and her blood turns black. She swiftly loses feeling in her infected arm. Wade and Maggie both know that it’s only a matter of time.
As Wade struggles with his daughter’s condition, he meets other families that have hidden their infected members. A sympathetic doctor informs Wade of his options. He can place Maggie in quarantine, a terrible existence in a de facto concentration camp where the infected are left to eat each other. He can give Maggie a drug cocktail that will prolong her life, but her remaining days will be intensely painful. Finally, he can take Maggie home, settle her affairs, and euthanize his daughter on his terms. Wade takes Maggie back to his farm. Together, they watch Maggie attempt to findjoy in a nightmarish situation. She attends parties, reminisces about her mother, and comes to terms with her new condition.
Why IsMaggieWorth Watching?
The headline on any coverage ofMaggieis about Arnold Schwarzeneggertaking a rare dramatic role. It’s a rare treat from the longtime action star.Maggieperfectly demonstrates how best to use the former Austrian Oak in a serious dramatic film. He speaks very rarely, delivering most of his performance through subtle facial expressions and body language. It’s a challenging role, but Arnold is well suited for it. His co-star, Abigail Breslin, also delivers an admirable performance. Breslin as Maggie is the heart of the film. She’s capable of conveying tremendous strength and heart-wrenching fragility in equal measure. The actors are the most successful element of the film. Weaker leads would’ve madeMaggieunwatchable, but the nuanced character work from both stars sells the film.
At its heart,Maggieis a film about learning to let go. The tone is almost relentlessly grim. The families of the infected will undergo any suffering to hold on to their loved ones. Imagine the trauma of slowly losing someone important to an incurable disease. There’s nothing anyone can do but sit and wait. It’s a reality for millions of people every day, butMaggie’s “Necroambulism” virus has some key differences. The infected suffer a slow, painful death, but they also become dangerous as soon as they die. Perhaps more notably, they never really lay down and die. A particularly desperate person could pretend that their loved ones are still with them,up and walking around. It’s a bleak reality in which people must learn to let the people they love go or risk being destroyed alongside them. Wade must decide whether he has the strength to help his daughter die with dignity.
How DoesMaggieEnd?
As Maggie’s condition worsens,her humanity begins to slip away. The turning point comes when she encounters a fox in a trap in the woods. Wade and Maggie’s stepmom Caroline find Maggie covered in blood. She says she wanted to let the animal go but couldn’t help herself when she saw living prey in front of her. The writing is on the wall, and everyone is telling Wade it’s time to decide what to do with Maggie. He shows Maggie a garden he planted in her honor. She makes him promise to end things. Wade sits with his shotgun across his lap, pretending to sleep as Maggie approaches. All life seems to have left her face. Maggie leans in, only to gently kiss her father’s forehead. As Wade loads his gun, Maggie walks outside and leaps from the roof, taking her own life. Fond memories of her childhood comfort her as she fades away.
Maggieisn’t the most original film ever made, but it finds a new angle on the zombie movie craze. Schwarzenegger and Breslin bring humanity to the haunting story. It’s unceasingly miserable.Maggieis genuinely hard to watch at times. It’s worth it.Maggieis a challenging experience with a bittersweet ending and a shocking amount of heart.Fans of Schwarzenegger, zombie films, or emotionally intense drama will love it.
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