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From Conan the Barbarian to The Terminator to the Expendables movies, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been a beloved action hero for decades. But while he’s often tried his hand at comedy, he’s never starred in anything quite as quiet and stripped-down as Maggie.
This indie zombie drama stars Schwarzenegger as Wade Vogel, a Midwestern dad who brings his teenage daughter, Maggie (Abigail Breslin), back home after she’s been infected with the necroambulist virus that’s torn the country apart. Wade knows that, over the course of the next few weeks, Maggie will slowly turn from the daughter he loves into a vicious, flesh-eating zombie—and, before she does, he’ll have to choose either to send her away to quarantine or to end her suffering by himself. But even as her symptoms develop, putting him more and more at risk, he remains determined to care for her until the end.
When faced with a zombie outbreak, the typical Arnold Schwarzenegger character would charge into the middle of the infected areas with bulging biceps and an arsenal of automatic weapons, ready to take down every last one of the man-eating monsters and save all of humanity. But Maggie isn’t that kind of zombie movie—and Wade Vogel isn’t that kind of character.
It may take place during a deadly epidemic, but Maggie isn’t really a zombie thriller; it’s a grim and muted story about fathers and daughters—and about struggling to let go. Sure, there are some terrifying moments as Maggie’s symptoms worsen, but the story is just as heart-breaking as it is horrifying.
Breslin gives a solid performance as the deteriorating teen, who fears for her family and friends—as well as her own future—as she tries to maintain some kind of normality. She paints her nails and hesitantly meets up with friends, but she’s constantly haunted by the attack that changed her life—and by the knowledge of what’s to come.
Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, is as you’ve never seen him before. Though you might go into the film expecting him to do something crazy and completely over-the-top (while shouting out some memorable new one-liner), you’ll soon realize that this is a drastically different kind of role for the long-time action star. Wade isn’t a cop or a soldier or a deadly robot; he’s just a normal guy—a dad who will do anything to protect his little girl. Schwarzenegger shows a surprising amount of vulnerability in this simple, emotional role—but perhaps even more surprising is the fact that it feels natural. His performance doesn’t feel like an action hero trying to do drama—and he makes it easy to forget that he’s the same guy who once played The Terminator (if only temporarily).
Of course, if you’re looking for the same old Schwarzenegger movie—or a bloody zombie movie—you’ll be shocked (and probably terribly disappointed) by the film’s slow, quiet drama. But the things that make Maggie completely unexpected are also the things that make it worth watching.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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