Movie Review: Maggie (2014)

Maggie (2014) directed by Henry Hobson

A world-wide disease has devastated crops and people. Infected humans slowly lose control of themselves and are sent to "quarantine" where they are "cared for." Most people understand but won't say it's a death sentence, though maybe the infected are dead already. For loved ones, it's hard to give up on an infected child. That's the problem for Wade Vogel (Arnold Schwarzenegger). His daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin) has been accidentally bitten. He had to search for two weeks in the city to find her, taking her home to their midwestern farm. The local police are concerned. Loved ones can come home for a short period of time and then they are expected to go to quarantine voluntarily. Wade sees a lot of the hardships caused by the disease. But he still loves his daughter and wants to keep her safe and with him as long as he can.

The movie is a departure for Schwarzenegger. There are moments of violence but they are brief and not the focus of the story. Zombie mythology or zombie fighting is not even a concern for the filmmakers. The movie is more a portrait of the love between a father and a daughter, especially dealing with a horrible situation. They clearly love each other and share a deep connection. Depicting that relationship is not so easy and the movie does a fairly standard job. Schwarzenegger and Breslin give fine performances. It's not outstanding nor is it terrible. 

Mildly recommended.