The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)

Bitel praises the film as a morally complex, character-focused take on familiar zombie-horror territory. He singles out Sennia Nanua’s performance and the film’s sympathetic handling of its characters’ conflicting positions.

The critic calls it a radical, brilliant zombie film that refreshes a tired genre. They single out its inventive take on the undead as a major strength.

O'Hara calls it the best zombie-ish apocalypse in years, praising its tense atmosphere and moral complexity. She singles out Sennia Nanua as a major discovery, especially for balancing Melanie's childlike curiosity with her cunning.

O'Sullivan finds the film a moving, hopeful end-of-the-world story despite a few missteps. She particularly praises its melancholy atmosphere and the final twists that return focus to Melanie and her teacher.

Baughan finds the film a potent, intelligent horror story whose emotional force grows from Melanie’s journey. She particularly praises Sennia Nanua’s nuanced performance and the character’s blend of innocence, terror and purpose.

The critic calls it a heartfelt, powerful cautionary tale. They praise the adaptation’s visual resonance and Sennia Nanua’s performance.

Kermode praises the film as a provocative, imaginative work that reinvents familiar horror tropes. He especially singles out Sennia Nanua’s nuanced performance and the film’s distinctive, uncanny score and production design.

The critic finds the film tender, terrifying, ingenious, and intense, despite some plot rambling and slackened tension. Sennia Nanua’s performance stands out, balancing recognisable childhood behaviour with unsettling intelligence.

Kohn finds the film a thrilling, elegant zombie story that refreshes familiar genre conventions, despite relying on some predictable beats. He praises Sennia Nanua’s startling performance and the film’s eerie imagery, especially in its Bosch-like finale.

The accessible page confirms a Locarno review of the 2016 film, but does not reveal the critic’s verdict. The paywall also hides any discussion of what the critic praises or criticizes.

The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict or specific praise or complaint. The URL identifies this as a review, but the article text is unavailable.

Abele finds the film professionally engrossing but ultimately routine and unremarkable. He praises its smart ideas about the post-outbreak world, while noting that its direction and performances rarely stand out.

The critic finds the film dreary and dramatically ineffective, with little chance of lasting impact. Glenn Close’s gleefully over-the-top performance is the one thing singled out for praise.

Weissberg finds the film an overlong, tired entry in the zombie genre. He praises newcomer Sennia Nanua’s charm but criticizes the direction, script, and repetitive music.

Foutch finds the film a fresh, thoughtful revival of the zombie genre. She especially praises Sennia Nanua’s captivating and unsettling performance as Melanie.

The critic finds it an intelligent zombie film whose strong acting and writing overcome some budgetary and soundtrack flaws. He particularly praises Glenn Close’s performance and the hypnotic story scene that showcases her skill.

The critic recommends the film as a distinctive zombie thriller, despite a few predictable moments. Sennia Nanua’s performance and the development of Melanie are singled out for praise.

The critic finds the film a fresh, empathetic addition to an overworked zombie genre. They praise the moving relationship between Gemma Arterton and Sennia Nanua, with Glenn Close also singled out for scene-stealing work.