Can The Girl with All the Gifts revive the tired zombie genre?
Matilda meets 28 Days in this tale of a special child zombie who holds the key to saving the world
Post apocalyptic zombie-drama The Girl with All the Gifts opens in UK cinemas tomorrow and while some are calling it the "best zombie apocalypse in years", others claim it is jumping on a tired undead bandwagon.
Directed by Colm McCarthy (Peaky Blinders, series two) The Girl with All the Gifts was adapted for the screen by Mike Carey, who wrote the original novel of the same name. It stars Gemma Arterton, Glenn Close, Paddy Considine and newcomer Sennia Nanua as The Girl.
Set in a dystopian future where society has broken down, most of humanity has been wiped out by a fungal disease and turned into zombified flesh-eating "hungries". Humanity's only hope is a group of disturbing hybrid children kept under strict controls in a militarised scientific unit.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Teacher Helen Justineau (Arterton) forms an attachment to one exceptional girl named Melanie (Nanua) and the pair escape with the aid of Sergeant Eddie Parks (Considine) to begin a journey of survival.
"This film is rooted deep in the zombie genre" from the "meaty social commentary" of The Last Of Us, says Helen O'Hara in Empire. But the tense atmosphere has "more in common with the bleak, British sci-fi" of The Day Of The Triffids than the more bombastic US catastrophes.
This is the "best zombie-ish apocalypse in years", says O'Hara. Nanua is a major discovery, she adds, "but it's the dense social commentary and moral dilemmas that will haunt you".
Indeed, the story "taps into a rich history of apocalyptic narratives", says Ryan Lambie at Den of Geek. Beneath the survival horror, however, is not just a story of a battle between an existing species and a new one, but a "battle of wits between one generation and another".
It suffers from some budgetary constraints, he adds, but among a legion of low-budget films with shuffling ghouls, The Girl with All The Gifts stands apart as "a zombie film with real intelligence".
28 Days Later meets Matilda in this "spine-tinglingly eerie" premise, says Richard Trenholm on CNET. Unfortunately, the second act is all too familiar as "a misfit band of soldiers set out across country, their survival threatened equally by bloodthirsty zombies and bickering".
There is "a chilling and subversive final twist" to give another unsettling spin on the genre, Trenholm continues, but it comes "too late to electrify the familiarity of the bulk of the film".
Yes, this seems like a tired attempt to "board the zombie bandwagon", says Jay Weissberg in Variety. The script is "full of the usual banalities disguised as philosophical conversations, but none of it tries for even the remotest hint of metaphor".
Close does attack her scenes with gusto, adds the critic. He also praises newcomer Nanua, who he says "conveys genuine charm, which will be put to better use in another vehicle".
Opens in UK cinemas tomorrow.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Nuclear near-misses
The Explainer From technical glitches to fateful split-second decisions, the world has come to the brink of nuclear war more times than you might think
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
What is cloud seeding and did it cause Dubai's severe rainfall?
The Explainer The future is flooded
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
American Airlines pilots are warning of a 'significant spike' in safety issues
In the Spotlight The pilot's union listed 'problematic trends' they say are affecting the airline's fleet
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The Westbury Hotel review: stunning suites in charming Dublin
The Week Recommends This hotel is the perfect spot to while away a weekend in Ireland's capital
By Kaye O'Doherty Published
-
Drama movies 2024: new films out this year
In Depth Latest reviews include The Boys in the Boat, One Life and Tchaikovsky's Wife
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Best new hotels and places to stay in 2024
The Week Recommends Featuring stylish island resorts, historical properties and wilderness retreats
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Albums of the year: best music of 2023
The Week Recommends A look back at the best pop, rap, jazz, dance, classical and rock releases
By The Week UK Published
-
Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay review: an institution reinvented
The Week Recommends Traditions are maintained and the tweaks are clever and modern
By Neil Davey Published
-
Tulum: a Mexican beach town of 'two halves'
The Week Recommends With the 'pueblo' and 'Zona Hotelera', Tulum is home to great hotels, restaurants and beach clubs
By William Leigh Published
-
La Zebra review: beach chic, perfect tacos and secret cenotes
The Week Recommends Enjoy a stylish stay in Mexico at this family-friendly beach hotel and restaurant
By William Leigh Published
-
Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas review: a mythical beachside resort
The Week Recommends Combine the classically simple pleasures of sun, sea and sand with upmarket fun and food
By Adrienne Wyper Published