The Girl with All the Gifts (2016) Review

Humankind's only hope against mindless flesh-eaters, referred to as 'hungries' is a child and a group must survive to develop a vaccine.

Colm McCarthy The Girl with All the Gifts offering echoes particularly the likes of 28 Days Later and World War Z. There's a fitting eerie vocal injected score by Cristobal Tapia de Veer. The CGI is effective and thankfully used sparingly. The make up and gore effects are solid as the group escape a base and journey through post apocalyptic London. Young Sennia Nanua as Hannibal Lector-like masked Melanie is believable as the infected girl, there's an excellent dry wit performance from the underused Glenn Close. Gemma Arterton gives 110% and to her credit acts her chops off. Notable is reliable actor Paddy Considine as Sgt. Eddie Parks who provides much of the back bone of the bleak film.

McCarthy's direction is on point and even though the plot and visuals are familiar there's enough new ground and good acting on display to keep interest. That said, the deviating latter half possible sacrifices hardened zombie fans.