Curse Of The Blair Witch (1999)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Curse Of The Blair explores and examines the mysterious disappearances of Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael C. Williams, after their journey into the Black Hills Forest to record footage for The Blair Witch Project documentary. 

My Thoughts- Is this real? Did the legend of The Blair Witch destroy this quiet little town in Maryland? Curse Of The Blair Witch looks and feels like a real documentary. The presentation is spot on, and the talking heads are phenomenal. 

Bill Barnes (Bill Dreggors), a Burkittsville historian, easily steals the show here. Dreggors is an excellent fit for the old timer, who’s also a great storyteller. Bill Barnes is a bit crusty, but it’s not to the point, where he’s yelling and shaking his fist, because a bunch of kids are on his lawn. No, Barnes is the old dude, who still has some fire left in him, and it’s easy to crack a smile, or laugh during some of his segments.

Lucan Johnson, a self-proclaimed Wiccan, is a close number two for the best interviewees throughout the documentary. Johnson is eccentric. He comes off as a weirdo, and there’s a chance you’ll think he’s completely full of BS, but Johnson strongly believes in his words. 

Curse Of The Blair Witch is a damn good mockumentary. News clips, interviews with professors and other experts, and family members sharing stories. There’s a strong effort to bring authenticity and a sense of realism to produce a “real” documentary. Curse Of The Blair Witch also does a good job of humanizing and adding more depth to Heather, Josh, and Mike’s personalities. And it’s no real surprise if you’ve seen the movie, but Mike’s brother reveals he was a rebel with some anger issues during his younger years. 

You’ll also learn more about Elly Kedward (the witch) and Rustin Parr (Frank Pastor). Parr eerily looks like a normal guy, and there’s some good black and white footage from Parr’s arrest, his trial, and Parr’s explanation for what happened in the woods. 

Curse Of The Blair Witch is an informative and thought-provoking mockumentary about a small town that just couldn’t escape decades of black clouds, and a series of bizarre and violent events. Remember, they never found the bodies, so the case is still open, adding another mysterious and haunting layer to the mockumentary. 

It’s worth checking out for Heather, Mike, and Josh’s backstories, and more in-depth explanations for the origins of Burkittsville and The Blair Witch curse, if you’re a fan of the films. I honestly wish I could go back and watch this one without any knowledge of the films. Whether you believe in supernatural stuff or not, Curse Of The Blair Witch is more than capable of at least planting some seeds of curiosity. Also, ending the mockumentary with a missing persons flyer featuring Heather, Mike, Josh, and contact information for the local authorities, was a nice touch.

Curse Of The Blair Witch is available on You Tube, and you can check it out below, if you’re interested!

Rating- 6/10 

Book Of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Following the events of The Blair Witch Project, Jeff (Jeffrey Donovan) leads a tour group into the woods of Burkittsville, Maryland. Jeff, the leader, organizer, and owner of The Blair Witch-Hunt, a website and touring service, promises to deliver a surreal experience for Erica (Erica Leerhsen), Kim (Kim Director), Stephen (Stephen Barker Turner), and his girlfriend, Tristen (Tristine Skyler).

Jeff receives a series of stern warnings from Sheriff Ronald Cravens (Lanny Flaherty), and more troubling problems emerge for Jeff and his new clients, after a bizarre and baffling nighttime experience in the woods of Burkittsville….

My Thoughts- Erica is a Wiccan. Kim? She’s an eccentric young goth woman, who enjoys relaxing in graveyards. Oh, and apparently Kim also has psychic abilities. Stephen and Tristen are doing research together for a book on mass hysteria, and Jeff is the kooky Burkittsville local!

Yes, if we’re comparing this one to the original, Book Of Shadows features a variety of characters with more depth. The problem is, there’s a bit too much zaniness attached to the main cast. Erica’s act as a Wiccan is just too goofy and over the top. Jeff? Oh, boy. Jeffery Donovan is surely dedicated to playing Jeff. There’s no denying that, but the character just comes off as this unlikable and annoying douchebag, who ruins most of the serious moments throughout the movie.

Kim Director, playing the rebellious goth lady, looks the part, and she easily has some of the best scenes throughout the movie. Tristine Skyler and Stephen Barker Turner play the roles of two intellectuals, who really don’t fit in with the rest of the crowd. Kim and Stephen are boring characters, but I guess you could say that’s the whole point, to add to the dynamic and irony of two people, who decided to tag along with a group of kooks. 

Tristen is a witch! Or, maybe she’s not a witch? Security footage reveals the rest of the group (minus Erica, because she was already dead at that point) cornered and ganged up on Tristen. They tried to force a confession out of her, and Stephen is the one, who ultimately killed Tristen by hanging her from a rope.

Tristen was never a witch, so everyone in the group played a part in murdering her. We’re led to believe the group was under the influence of the evil forces from the woods, adding credibility to Erica’s claims about the group bringing something “back with them” from the woods after the short-lived tour. 

Tristen had a miscarriage in the woods. I’m guessing that was supposed to be the clincher, or the event that sparked Tristen’s slow transformation for being chosen to be a witch, but it’s clear she had a severe mental breakdown after the miscarriage happened, a breakdown that led to her erratic and bizarre behavior after the tour was over.

Well, the best thing I can say about the ending is, at least it’s an ending? The reveal for Tristen not being a witch was supposed to be a big shocker, but the twist didn’t do anything for me. When you sit through an overall bad viewing experience, a supposedly big shocking reveal is not going to save the movie, a strong case of too little, too late for this one.

I can’t remember the last time I watched Book Of Shadows. I barely remembered what happened, and I’m still confused about what they were trying to accomplish here. Is this supposed to be a straightforward horror film? Comedy horror? Or, a parody of a horror film?

Jeff and the locals are selling Blair Witch merchandise, including rocks, and you can buy official Blair Witch dirt, too! Seriously? Why would you shit all over the key items that added to the mystique and the spooky parts in the original? I just don’t understand the approach of making a mockery out of the dangerous and deadly physical reminders and warnings for the Blair Witch curse. Also, there’s a brief little feud between Jeff’s group and a different touring group named The Blair Witch Walk, because for some reason we needed more comedy.

Lanny Flaherty delivers a weirdly hammy performance as Burkittsville’s Sheriff, complete with a comically thick southern accent. It’s strange, because you would think the SHERIFF would be portrayed as a more serious character, but you could tell Flaherty was having fun.

The main cast? There’s nothing to write home about. I understand Jeff was abused in a local mental institution, but with the way his character is portrayed, it’s easy to get the impression they just decided to poke fun at the fact that he’s not all there upstairs. I honestly can’t think of one good or truly solid performance here, and the rigid dialogue in certain scenes is just terrible.

Blair Witch 2 adds more layers and details to the lore and the dark history behind the Blair Witch. But Book Of Shadows is a prime example for what you don’t want out of a follow-up sequel for a successful original film. 

The entire movie feels like a shameless cash grab, and they dropped the found-footage POV. Book Of Shadows opens with real news clips, clips from late night talk shows, interviews with locals, and Jeff talking about the Blair Witch and Burkittsville, but that’s it for the real footage side of the movie. Sure, you could say the production values are more professional and polished, but the end result is a forgettable and bad horror flick. 

The tone for Blair Witch 2 is all over the place, and all the attempts to be a more serious film are huge misfires. The reveal for the footage of what actually happened at Jeff’s warehouse and the woods at night during the tour is just laughable. Seeing the truth was supposed to deliver a big shocker, but it’s hard not to laugh at the footage from the woods. Yeah, I get it. Everyone is supposed to be possessed, but it’s easy to get the impression that you’re just watching a bunch of people, who were way too drunk and high doing silly things that intoxicated people would do. And of course, the group was drinking and smoking weed at the campsite, so that had to play a part in the evil shenanigans, right?

Rating- 2/10

Book Of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Following the events of The Blair Witch Project, Jeff (Jeffrey Donovan) leads a tour group into the woods of Burkittsville, Maryland. Jeff, the leader, organizer, and owner of The Blair Witch-Hunt, a website and touring service, promises to deliver a surreal experience for Erica (Erica Leerhsen), Kim (Kim Director), Stephen (Stephen Barker Turner), and his girlfriend, Tristen (Tristine Skyler).

Jeff receives a series of stern warnings from Sheriff Ronald Cravens (Lanny Flaherty), and more troubling problems emerge for Jeff and his new clients, after a bizarre and baffling nighttime experience in the woods of Burkittsville….

My Thoughts- Erica is a Wiccan. Kim? She’s an eccentric young goth woman, who enjoys relaxing in graveyards. Oh, and apparently Kim also has psychic abilities. Stephen and Tristen are doing research together for a book on mass hysteria, and Jeff is the kooky Burkittsville local!

Yes, if we’re comparing this one to the original, Book Of Shadows features a variety of characters with more depth. The problem is, there’s a bit too much zaniness attached to the main cast. Erica’s act as a Wiccan is just too goofy and over the top. Jeff? Oh, boy. Jeffery Donovan is surely dedicated to playing Jeff. There’s no denying that, but the character just comes off as this unlikable and annoying douchebag, who ruins most of the serious moments throughout the movie.

Kim Director, playing the rebellious goth lady, looks the part, and she easily has some of the best scenes throughout the movie. Tristine Skyler and Stephen Barker Turner play the roles of two intellectuals, who really don’t fit in with the rest of the crowd. Kim and Stephen are boring characters, but I guess you could say that’s the whole point, to add to the dynamic and irony of two people, who decided to tag along with a group of kooks. 

I can’t remember the last time I watched Book Of Shadows. I barely remembered what happened, and I’m still confused about what they were trying to accomplish here. Is this supposed to be a straightforward horror film? Comedy horror? Or, a parody of a horror film?

Jeff and the locals are selling Blair Witch merchandise, including rocks, and you can buy official Blair Witch dirt, too! Seriously? Why would you shit all over the key items that added to the mystique and the spooky parts in the original? I just don’t understand the approach of making a mockery out of the dangerous and deadly physical reminders and warnings for the Blair Witch curse. Also, there’s a brief little feud between Jeff’s group and a different touring group named The Blair Witch Walk, because for some reason we needed more comedy.

Lanny Flaherty delivers a weirdly hammy performance as Burkittsville’s Sheriff, complete with a comically thick southern accent. It’s strange, because you would think the SHERIFF would be portrayed as a more serious character, but you could tell Flaherty was having fun.

The main cast? There’s nothing to write home about. I understand Jeff was abused in a local mental institution, but with the way his character is portrayed, it’s easy to get the impression they just decided to poke fun at the fact that he’s not all there upstairs. I honestly can’t think of one good or truly solid performance here, and the rigid dialogue in certain scenes is just terrible.

Blair Witch 2 adds more layers and details to the lore and the dark history behind the Blair Witch. But Book Of Shadows is a prime example for what you don’t want out of a follow-up sequel for a successful original film. 

The entire movie feels like a shameless cash grab, and they dropped the found-footage POV. Book Of Shadows opens with real news clips, clips from late night talk shows, interviews with locals, and Jeff talking about the Blair Witch and Burkittsville, but that’s it for the real footage side of the movie. Sure, you could say the production values are more professional and polished, but the end result is a forgettable and bad horror flick.

The tone for Blair Witch 2 is all over the place, and all the attempts to be a more serious film are huge misfires. The reveal for the footage of what actually happened at Jeff’s warehouse and the woods at night during the tour is just laughable. Seeing the truth was supposed to deliver a big shocker, but it’s hard not to laugh at the footage from the woods. Yeah, I get it. Everyone is supposed to be possessed, but it’s easy to get the impression that you’re just watching a bunch of people, who were way too drunk and high doing silly things that intoxicated people would do. And of course, the group was drinking and smoking weed at the campsite, so that had to play a part in the evil shenanigans, right?

Rating- 2/10

The Blair Witch Project (1999)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Heather (Rei Hance), Josh (Joshua Leonard), and Mike (Michael C. Williams) travel to Burkittsville, Maryland to film a documentary about The Blair Witch during Halloween season in 1994. Titled The Blair Witch Project, Heather leads the trio into the woods to shoot the documentary.

The group runs into a series of setbacks and mishaps, but they’ll have bigger problems to worry about. After a handful of strange occurrences, it’s clear Heather, Mike, and Josh are not alone in the woods, because someone or something is following them, watching, and waiting for the right moment to strike…..

My Thoughts- My one big complaint about The Blair Witch Project? Too much bickering. Yes, I get it. Heather, Mike, and Josh are scared. They’re frustrated, tired, hungry, cold, and they’re alone in the woods, while a witch is hot on their trails. But all the screaming, finger-pointing, and arguments eats up way too much time here. Occasionally, you’ll get the feeling the movie is picking up some momentum, but everything comes to a screeching halt, because Josh has to scold Heather for being a terrible human being.

If we’re putting the spotlight on the main trio, you can tell Heather is a good person, but she also pushes too hard. She wants to get the documentary done, feeling it’ll be the crowning achievement in her life, because she doesn’t have anything else to look forward to. The big problem is, she recklessly threw the group into a meat grinder, without any real backup plans, or an escape route.

Josh tries to be the glue that holds everything together until he finally reaches a breaking point with Heather. Mike? He’s a hotheaded asshole, but Mike actually has a few tranquil moments, when he realizes pouring more gasoline on already roaring fire will only make things worse.

I’m old enough to remember, when The Blair Witch Project was first released. The buzz, the hype, people questioning whether it was real or not. I HAD to see it. Decades later, my opinion on it hasn’t really changed. Lots of shaky cam, the movie hits one too many dull stretches, and while I understand the justifiable reasons behind it, all the constant arguing and fighting drives me nuts. Also, you can point to more than one scene, where there’s really no reason to record anything at all. Please, focus on protecting yourselves, and finding a safe place to hide!

Still, The Blair Witch Project has some positives. The strong sense of realism is believable. The grainy picture quality, blooper style footage (e.g. Mike munching on a giant leaf), and interviews with the locals, with Mary Brown (Patricia DeCou) stealing the show as that one old kooky resident, who tells wild stories. 

It’s a found-footage film that gives you the feeling you’re watching real, raw, and uncut footage about three people, who set out to make a seemingly harmless documentary. And you’re getting an unfiltered firsthand behind the scenes experience, documenting the chaos showing how everything devolved into a tragic mess. The Blair Witch Project taking place during Halloween season was a nice touch, and I’m always a sucker for horror films about a small town filled with dark secrets and a troubled past. Some good spooky nighttime scenes, and the finale truly delivers, complete with a strong and eerie cliffhanger. 

Whether or not The Blair Witch Project is overrated or rated appropriately, is something that’ll be debated for a long time. But you can’t deny the overall impact on the horror genre and what The Blair Witch Project did for found-footage films. We’re inching towards a thirty year anniversary for this one, and it’s a movie that’s still remembered and talked about in 2026. You can hate it, love it, or possibly fall somewhere in the middle, but a small team working with a tight budget managed to create a memorable horror flick with a lasting legacy, a truly remarkable accomplishment that deserves recognition.

Rating- 6/10 

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Heather (Rei Hance), Josh (Joshua Leonard), and Mike (Michael C. Williams) travel to Burkittsville, Maryland to film a documentary about The Blair Witch during Halloween season in 1994. Titled The Blair Witch Project, Heather leads the trio into the woods to shoot the documentary.

The group runs into a series of setbacks and mishaps, but they’ll have bigger problems to worry about. After a handful of strange occurrences, it’s clear Heather, Mike, and Josh are not alone in the woods, because someone or something is following them, watching, and waiting for the right moment to strike…..

My Thoughts- My one big complaint about The Blair Witch Project? Too much bickering. Yes, I get it. Heather, Mike, and Josh are scared. They’re frustrated, tired, hungry, cold, and they’re alone in the woods, while a witch is hot on their trails. But all the screaming, finger-pointing, and arguments eats up way too much time here. Occasionally, you’ll get the feeling the movie is picking up some momentum, but everything comes to a screeching halt, because Josh has to scold Heather for being a terrible human being.

If we’re putting the spotlight on the main trio, you can tell Heather is a good person, but she also pushes too hard. She wants to get the documentary done, feeling it’ll be the crowning achievement in her life, because she doesn’t have anything else to look forward to. The big problem is, she recklessly threw the group into a meat grinder, without any real backup plans, or an escape route.

Josh tries to be the glue that holds everything together until he finally reaches a breaking point with Heather. Mike? He’s a hotheaded asshole, but Mike actually has a few tranquil moments, when he realizes pouring more gasoline on already roaring fire will only make things worse.

Long stretches of boredom throughout The Blair Witch Project, but there’s no denying the finale delivers. The final ten minutes or so of the movie are tight, tense, and genuinely creepy. The old abandoned house was the perfect setting. It’s dark, dirty, quiet, and when you see all the strange markings and hand prints on the wall, you’ll instantly know the house is a bad and horrible place, where unspeakable things happened inside. 

The final shot of an emotionless and dazed Mike standing in a corner of the basement, with Heather’s screams in the background before the camera falls to the ground to end the movie really works as a haunting visual. It’s a memorable moment, and it’s a shot that really sticks before the credits start rolling. Genuinely chilling stuff. 

I’m old enough to remember, when The Blair Witch Project was first released. The buzz, the hype, people questioning whether it was real or not. I HAD to see it. Decades later, my opinion on it hasn’t really changed. Lots of shaky cam, the movie hits one too many dull stretches, and while I understand the justifiable reasons behind it, all the constant arguing and fighting drives me nuts. Also, you can point to more than one scene, where there’s really no reason to record anything at all. Please, focus on protecting yourselves, and finding a safe place to hide!

Still, The Blair Witch Project has some positives. The strong sense of realism is believable. The grainy picture quality, blooper style footage (e.g. Mike munching on a giant leaf), and interviews with the locals, with Mary Brown (Patricia DeCou) stealing the show as that one old kooky resident, who tells wild stories. 

It’s a found-footage film that gives you the feeling you’re watching real, raw, and uncut footage about three people, who set out to make a seemingly harmless documentary. And you’re getting an unfiltered firsthand behind the scenes experience, documenting the chaos showing how everything devolved into a tragic mess. The Blair Witch Project taking place during Halloween season was a nice touch, and I’m always a sucker for horror films about a small town filled with dark secrets and a troubled past. Some good spooky nighttime scenes, and the finale truly delivers, complete with a strong and eerie cliffhanger. 

Whether or not The Blair Witch Project is overrated or rated appropriately, is something that’ll be debated for a long time. But you can’t deny the overall impact on the horror genre and what The Blair Witch Project did for found-footage films. We’re inching towards a thirty year anniversary for this one, and it’s a movie that’s still remembered and talked about in 2026. You can hate it, love it, or possibly fall somewhere in the middle, but a small team working with a tight budget managed to create a memorable horror flick with a lasting legacy, a truly remarkable accomplishment that deserves recognition.

Rating- 6/10 

Maggie (2015)

 **This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Infected with an incurable zombie virus, Maggie Vogel (Abigail Breslin) runs away from home. Maggie’s father, Wade (Arnold Schwarzenegger), eventually brings Maggie back to the family’s ranch, determined to protect his oldest child from a legally mandated quarantine.

Maggie is supported by Wade, and her stepmother, Caroline (Joely Richardson), but the clock is ticking, as Maggie’s condition deteriorates…

My Thoughts- Maggie turning into a zombie is a slow process from start to finish. You won’t see any bloody and violent zombie attacks, or the survivors running for their lives, while being chased by hordes of the undead here. Instead, Maggie chooses to put the focus on the emotional toll the outbreak takes on everyone involved. Wade loves and deeply cares about his daughter. Wade’s options are limited, and he doesn’t want to make the difficult decision to send his daughter off to quarantine, an inhumane death sentence for infected humans.

Maggie? She knows there’s no way out. She doesn’t want to be a burden to her friends and her family, so she isolates herself. Maggie drifts in and out of trying to live a normal life. The waiting room scene at the doctor’s office does a good job of shining some light on Maggie’s problems. A mother notices Maggie’s bite wound, and she quickly urges her children to stay away from her. Another example of Maggie trying to be a normal teenage girl, but it’s just not possible without a cure or a vaccine. 

Abigail Breslin nails Maggie. The fear for what’s about to happen to her, the conflict for Maggie wanting to give up on herself, but she doesn’t want to disappoint her father, so she tries to live a normal life, and she knows time is running out, fast. You can see and feel everything Maggie is going through, and Breslin’s sympathetic performance is one of the true highlights here. You’ll see every agonizing stage of Maggie’s transformation, whether it’s the decaying skin, Maggie’s cravings for flesh, or Maggie’s gory solution for dealing with a broken finger.

So what’s the solution? Does Maggie FINALLY go to quarantine? Does Wade give in to Maggie’s heart-wrenching request for a mercy killing? Well, Maggie chooses death in the form of suicide by jumping off of the roof.  

I had my fingers crossed for a cure, or at least the realistic possibility for introducing a cure to add more suspense to the story, but it’s still a good and poignant finale. Towards the end, Maggie is just too far gone. She’s ninety-five percent zombie, but she still had enough clarity to choose death without attacking Wade. And Maggie knew Wade having to be the one to pull the trigger would’ve destroyed him, so she decided to take herself out of the picture. 

Also, Maggie using memories of spending time with her deceased mother, Sarah, was a nice touch. Maggie remembers Sarah, as she’s falling to the ground, and you could say it was Maggie’s way of easing herself into the afterlife, with comforting memories of a cherished relationship with her mother. Good stuff.

I’m of two minds about Maggie. On one hand, if you’ve seen enough zombie movies, you already know what’s going to happen after the infection. But Maggie takes a slow burn approach to the full turn. Is she going to turn into a zombie or not? It’s a question I asked myself more than once throughout the movie. I KNOW where this whole thing is going, so can we just get there already? But Maggie does make an earnest attempt at trying to be a different zombie film. It’s a dreary and somber horror drama about a viral outbreak that completely tears families and friends apart. 

Maggie does a really job of showing everyone’s perspectives for what’s going on. Sheriff Ray Pierce (Douglas M. Griffin) is Wade’s friend, and he respects him, but he has a job to do. Deputy Holt (J.D. Evermore) comes off as an asshole. He’s more strict, serious, and you can tell he’s annoyed at the fact that Wade is getting preferential treatment for keeping Maggie away from quarantine. But Holt makes a good point: Maggie is infected. It’s far too dangerous to keep her around healthy people, and it’s the police force’s job to protect the community at all costs. 

Maggie’s ex-boyfriend, Trent (Bryce Romero) is infected. Trent is scared. Similar to Maggie, he’s beyond the point of no return. He doesn’t want to go to quarantine, but his options are severely limited. Maggie’s friend, Allie (Raeden Greer) tries to hold it together during a friendly reunion. But Allie can’t hide an emotional reaction, because she knows she’s going to lose her best friend.

Maggie feels a bit dull at times, because without the possibility of a cure, or a cure that’s available, there’s only one solution to Maggie’s problem. Still, I have to give a thumbs up for Maggie taking an unconventional and mostly successful approach to a zombie horror film. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers a dedicated performance, as a father, who’s carrying around a heavy heart. Wade is a simple man, who lives a quiet life, and he loves his old rusty pickup truck. A solid all around cast, a fantastic ending, and Schwarzenegger and Breslin share believable father/daughter chemistry together. 

I’m also glad the vast majority of Maggie takes place in the countryside, and the more rural parts of America. Maggie’s set pieces are a perfect fit for the story. It’s eerily quiet, and you can see the devastation from the outbreak. Old homes, fields of burning crops, and a seemingly abandoned gas station. A clear visual representation that Wade, Maggie, and the rest of the cast are currently living in a hopeless world. No one is coming to save them, everyone is scared, and you have to worry about the possibility of your neighbors turning into zombies. 

Rating- 8/10

 

Maggie (2015)(Minor Spoilers)

 **This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Infected with an incurable zombie virus, Maggie Vogel (Abigail Breslin) runs away from home. Maggie’s father, Wade (Arnold Schwarzenegger), eventually brings Maggie back to the family’s ranch, determined to protect his oldest child from a legally mandated quarantine.

Maggie is supported by Wade, and her stepmother, Caroline (Joely Richardson), but the clock is ticking, as Maggie’s condition deteriorates…

My Thoughts- Maggie turning into a zombie is a slow process from start to finish. You won’t see any bloody and violent zombie attacks, or the survivors running for their lives, while being chased by hordes of the undead here. Instead, Maggie chooses to put the focus on the emotional toll the outbreak takes on everyone involved. Wade loves and deeply cares about his daughter. Wade’s options are limited, and he doesn’t want to make the difficult decision to send his daughter off to quarantine, an inhumane death sentence for infected humans.

Maggie? She knows there’s no way out. She doesn’t want to be a burden to her friends and her family, so she isolates herself. Maggie drifts in and out of trying to live a normal life. The waiting room scene at the doctor’s office does a good job of shining some light on Maggie’s problems. A mother notices Maggie’s bite wound, and she quickly urges her children to stay away from her. Another example of Maggie trying to be a normal teenage girl, but it’s just not possible without a cure or a vaccine. 

Abigail Breslin nails Maggie. The fear for what’s about to happen to her, the conflict for Maggie wanting to give up on herself, but she doesn’t want to disappoint her father, so she tries to live a normal life, and she knows time is running out, fast. You can see and feel everything Maggie is going through, and Breslin’s sympathetic performance is one of the true highlights here. You’ll see every agonizing stage of Maggie’s transformation, whether it’s the decaying skin, Maggie’s cravings for flesh, or Maggie’s gory solution for dealing with a broken finger.

I’m of two minds about Maggie. On one hand, if you’ve seen enough zombie movies, you already know what’s going to happen after the infection. But Maggie takes a slow burn approach to the full turn. Is she going to turn into a zombie or not? It’s a question I asked myself more than once throughout the movie. I KNOW where this whole thing is going, so can we just get there already? But Maggie does make an earnest attempt at trying to be a different zombie film. It’s a dreary and somber horror drama about a viral outbreak that completely tears families and friends apart. 

Maggie does a really job of showing everyone’s perspectives for what’s going on. Sheriff Ray Pierce (Douglas M. Griffin) is Wade’s friend, and he respects him, but he has a job to do. Deputy Holt (J.D. Evermore) comes off as an asshole. He’s more strict, serious, and you can tell he’s annoyed at the fact that Wade is getting preferential treatment for keeping Maggie away from quarantine. But Holt makes a good point: Maggie is infected. It’s far too dangerous to keep her around healthy people, and it’s the police force’s job to protect the community at all costs. 

Maggie’s ex-boyfriend, Trent (Bryce Romero) is infected. Trent is scared. Similar to Maggie, he’s beyond the point of no return. He doesn’t want to go to quarantine, but his options are severely limited. Maggie’s friend, Allie (Raeden Greer) tries to hold it together during a friendly reunion. But Allie can’t hide an emotional reaction, because she knows she’s going to lose her best friend.

Maggie feels a bit dull at times, because without the possibility of a cure, or a cure that’s available, there’s only one solution to Maggie’s problem. Still, I have to give a thumbs up for Maggie taking an unconventional and mostly successful approach to a zombie horror film. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers a dedicated performance, as a father, who’s carrying around a heavy heart. Wade is a simple man, who lives a quiet life, and he loves his old rusty pickup truck. A solid all around cast, a fantastic ending, and Schwarzenegger and Breslin share believable father/daughter chemistry together. 

I’m also glad the vast majority of Maggie takes place in the countryside, and the more rural parts of America. Maggie’s set pieces are a perfect fit for the story. It’s eerily quiet, and you can see the devastation from the outbreak. Old homes, fields of burning crops, and a seemingly abandoned gas station? A clear visual representation that Wade, Maggie, and the rest of the cast are currently living in a hopeless world. No one is coming to save them, everyone is scared, and you have to worry about the possibility of your neighbors turning into zombies. 

Rating- 8/10