Just around the time you think there's no life left in the zombie movie, another one rises. Of course, we may play fast and loose with what constitutes a "zombie", be it a disease or curse, afflicting the living or the dead, humans or otherwise, globally or locally. But there are tropes and themes that tend to stick with the genre, and The Girl with All the Gifts fits the bill. In the near future, a fungal disease has ravaged humanity, turning people into mindless cannibalistic monsters called "hungries." The pockets of militarized survivors search desperately for a cure or vaccine, and their only hope lies with second-generation children who maintain the ability to speak and think. They also, however, crave flesh and will turn ravenous if humans nearby do not mask their scent with a special medical gel.
These children have become test subjects in a frightful bunker, researched and tested by scientists and rigidly controlled by soldiers. They are taught and raised by a motherly woman named Helen (Quantum of Solace and Clash of the Titans star Gemma Arterton). Her favorite pupil is our protagonist, young Melanie (played with astonishing skill by Sennia Nanua), whose aptitude and intelligence outshine the others and whose love for Helen provides the film's heart. But their affection is not without its difficulties, and others have noticed Melanie's brilliance. Dr. Caldwell (played by the always perfect Glenn Close), in charge of finding a cure, also has her eye on Melanie though her attention is purely scientific. Cold and calculating, we quickly learn she has been experimenting on the children -- "experimenting" here meaning "murdering by removing their nervous system" -- and Melanie is next up on her slab. Helen fights back but is quickly disarmed; when has going up against Glenn Close ever been a good idea?
Thankfully for Melanie, the zombies choose that moment to overrun the compound. For us zombie aficionados, this movie may not take the cake. But it boasts some impressive and ingenious devices that set it apart from the slew of similar flicks. Its British setting recalls 28 Days Later, the bleak violence reminds us of The Walking Dead, and the fast-moving animalistic "hungries" are of the same cloth as those in World War Z. This movie is not original in those ways, but it features an unusually intelligent screenplay that meditates on moral dilemmas and complex characters. It relies on practical effects and real people under zombie getup, not relying on CGI and excessive, weightless monsters. Its long-shots, especially the one when Melanie and Helen try to escape the compound as it falls to the hungries, are exquisitely choreographed, and the set designs are so fabulous it's easy to get lost in the world of the movie.
And that's just the first half of the film! After that, well, you're on your own.
I haven't read the book by M.R. Carey, but I noticed he also wrote the screenplay, and it is a magnificent introduction between us. Besides its complicated characters and references to other zombie media, the movie constantly challenges its genre. Black humor and body horror are juxtaposed with romance and science fiction, all mashed up with social commentary, environmentalism, and moral chaos in an otherwise post-apocalyptic coming-of-age drama about a young woman of color. What else could you want? Oh, and just wait for the ending. It turns the tables so fast, you'll be knocked off your ass.
IMDb: The Girl with All the Gifts
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