A Zombie Movie with very little bite
Directed by Colm McArthy and starring Gemma Arterton, Glenn Close, Dominique Tipper, and Paddy Considine, The Girl with All the Gifts was visually pleasing with good performances all-round.
Referred to as Hungries the zombies are people infected with a fungus that takes over the brain, robbing them of free will and giving them a hunger for uninfected human flesh. A bite is the method by which the fungus is transferred from infected to uninfected. The newly effected turn quickly. A group of children are infected but immune to the fungus’ control over the brain. Whilst they still hunger for human flesh they can still learn – given the right circumstances.
A small group of these children are taught in a classroom on a British military base. Carefully controlled they are kept locked in their cells or restrained so they cannot harm those who are responsible for them. That is, until the base get invaded by Hungries.
A little good a little bad
The Girl with All the Gifts was an interesting looking film. I’d seen the trailers and thought it looked like it was going to be something really new in the zombie genre. But it wasn’t really. Virus spreads quickly through people, military/government/science trying to find a cure, trying to justify what they think they need to do so it’s easier to do it. A few exciting moments to remind you it’s a zombie movie – with a nod to any movie where kids have to survive without adults in an untamed world.
All the gifts simply means she is immune to the virus – that’s it. Nor is she the only one, just the one this film focuses on. That aside, the movie was watchable. The zombies were different in the way that they moved and looked. And the plant part was an interesting twist. I was a little confused as to why some zombies moved when they heard a sound and others didn’t. But loved the fact that they were fast zombies when they did move.
The Girl with All the Gifts Review Conclusion
I probably won’t watch it again – The Girl with All the Gifts was okay. It wasn’t as exciting as the trailers made me feel it was going to be. I don’t even think the title really works for what it was. It was watchable. And as far as zombie movies go it was better than the norm. But it just wasn’t good enough to say I’d watch it again.
3 stars
Your Suggestions Wanted: If you have a Horror, Weird West, or Western Horror you think I’d enjoy let me know in the comments or Tweet it at me. I’ll give you a shout out if I review it 🙂 You can find me on Twitter @KateTrinity or @AuthorKTMcQueen
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Horror and Fantasy Author – Also writing as K.T. McQueen. Love Western Horror, cowboy boots, my cactus Collin, & my Demon Cat.
Moths – I hate moths, the way they flutter at your face!
