The Girl with All the Gifts was a great novel that has been turned into a good film. Just released on streaming with a limited theatrical release, this is 50% a great film and 50% a good one – the first half is very strong and then it settles down and just kind of pushes forward to the end without half the zeal. Maybe this is a function of the story adaptation and how you can’t get into the head of the characters as well in a movie (and maybe the movie is better than I, a judgy book rader, think it is).
Anyhow, this is a zombie film. Yes, another zombie film. Told from the perspective of an infected ten year old girl – she’s rational, logical, and sweet as long as you don’t smell like food. It’s an interesting take on the genre and it really works here because of good direction but also because the actress playing the little girl is really convincing. She’s joined by Gemma Arterton as her teacher and Glenn Close (really!) as a scientist who wants to cut her brain open to find the cure.
As with many zombie flicks, the zombie apocalypse has happened. The “hungries” have basically overrun England and a small military base is running experiments on the mysterious children who aren’t acting like the mindless adult zombies. Things go south and a small band of survivors have to make their way across England and through London to safety.
Like I said, the first half of the movie is really pretty great. It keeps you in suspense, only letting you know what little the girl knows (and she doesn’t even know she’s an infected zombie). When things go bad, the director manages some really impressive one-take action scenes. I wish the film could keep up the momentum but it has to settle back and run through the story which I’m doubtful works as well in film.
So, yeah, I’d recommend the film even for people who aren’t really into zombie flicks just because it’s doing something different. It is rated R and it can get bloody (and there is a cat that gets eaten) but it’s not too bad as far as that goes.
Score: 83