It is one of the most original and emotional films of the worn-out zombie subgenre that recent cinema has given us. ‘Melanie: The Girl With All The Gifts’ (2016)what just arrived at Filminoffers a variant of the end of the world that is sustained thanks to a splendid cast and a meticulous portrayal of the characters involved in this drama.
We will learn, in a terrifying future, how society falls apart due to a fungus that turns humans into savage zombies. But there is a group of children who remain immune to its effects, and are thoroughly studied for a cure, held in a military base in England. But we do not have here the typical story of hope in the future thanks to the new generations.
These children also feed on human flesh… although they still retain the intelligence and feelings of humans. Among them is a girl, Melanie, who is the last hope of humanity. An witty twist coming from the pen of Mike Carey, veteran British comics writer with creations to his credit such as ‘Lucifer’, three great years in ‘Hellblazer’ and a long period also in ‘X-Men’. Here he adapts a novel of the same title written by himself.
Under the direction of Colm McCarthy, who has directed episodes of series such as ‘Black Mirror’, ‘Peaky Blinders’, ‘Sherlock’ or ‘Doctor Who’, the film is completed with a magnificent cast. Paddy Considine, Gemma Arterton or Glenn Close give a human and thoughtful touch to a film that goes far beyond a mere zombie adventure.
