This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

As I have a young son who with his friends tries to make movies on smart-phones, the finished products ends up looking like something with kids just running and screaming.So I watched this with him as it tells the story of a young girl Emily Hagins who was always interested in making movies and at the age of 10 writes a zombie film and by the age of 12 starts shooting the film called Pathogen on a minuscule budget but loads of enthusiasm.I wanted to show him that if a girl around his age could write and direct a film, he also needs to focus and write his ideas down and realise it so he and his friends can make a structured film over time.Emily has to balance school, the hazards of film making and her generally supportive parents but at times her mother could interfere a little too much.However the documentary was only intermittently entertaining and the running time was too long. I also wondered when the documentary was actually filmed as the shooting of Pathogen took place over many months because Emily had to breaks for school work took priority as well as other reasons for delays.If you end up thinking that parts of the footage has been enacted for the documentary then it is not a good sign or either that, when Emily was writing and making Pathogen then there was a documentary crew in tow at the same time.It was nice to hear from the likes of Harry Knowles. It was good to see how determined Emily is and that she did finish Pathogen, won a grant for that film, show it as film festivals and she has gone on to make other films.The documentary though did not grab me unfortunately.

What strikes me is that despite the age and experience difference, the problems encountered during filmmaking are all the same ones you find on small indie sets on up the line to the big boy pictures. issues with actors schedules, budgets, loosing light, prop mishaps, sound issues, the wear and tear a director, 1st AD, or producer feels etc. Heck, even the relationship between the mother and daughter is like relationships i've been witness to between producers and directors. Despite the love that they have for each other there is of course tension and sometimes that tension comes to a head which is captured in this documentary.Having help from local film critics and of course Harry Knowles, it's also interesting to see the local community help out and show their support for someone who has no experience but only the want and drive to finish a movie. Many people may not realize or just choose to ignore the fact that making a film (short or feature) is hard work. The amount of planning is staggering sometimes even to seasoned professionals. To see them come and help a 12 year old who simply has a love for the craft is something special. I'm not going to say this is the most inspirational piece in the world and it's not like the final product was Citizen Kane but this still merits a watch in my book. I can't really put my thumb on who this documentary may appeal to but i'll venture a guess. If you're interested in the film making process (in a general sense) and like a film about passion and conviction then I think this may be something worth watching. I'm giving this a 7 for showing me that age has no bearing on passion and that doing what you set out to do can be it's own reward.

This has remained my favorite documentary, and one of my favorite movies, since I first saw a screener of it about two years ago. I'm so glad that it's finally reaching a wider audience now.When I was writing "The New Horror Handbook," I not only wanted to cover some of the landmark horror movies of the 21st century, but also to include a section on the effect the genre has had on up-and-coming filmmakers. When I came across then-14-year-old Emily Hagins and her zombie movie "Pathogen," and the documentary about its making, "Zombie Girl: The Movie," I had to include a chapter on both."Zombie Girl" does something I've never seen accomplished before -- faithfully and lovingly document the joys and aggravations of the creative process.Sure, there are plenty of "making of" featurettes, some better than others. But this movie has two advantages. The primary one is Emily Hagins herself. This is a young girl brimming with creativity and drive, yet with enough maturity and support from her family to see her vision through to completion. Second, a refreshing lack of the manufactured drama that reality TV has made us all accustomed to. Finally, after watching this movie, chances are good that you will want to make your own movie, or write a novel, or paint a masterpiece -- whatever long-held creative passions you've carried with you suddenly won't seem so out of reach. I can't think of a greater accomplishment for a film.

This is a great documentary. It's complete, from the beginning of Emily's project until its premiere. The final product, the "Pathogen" movie, is very poorly produced, clearly an amateur work. This documentary, on the other hand, makes is pretty clear why that is so. It displays Emily's will to turn her idea into something real. But as a 12 years old girl, she lacks planning, knowledge and looking ahead. She acts much like any average adolescent: that "let's just do it now" attitude, that takes her into troubled times.The documentary also shows the driving force behind the cameras, Emily's mother, always pushing the idea forward. Her adult vision on organization and planning brings mother and daughter into many conflicts, as the girl believes her mother is trying to make things "her way", but she can't afford losing her support.Zombie Girl's directors themselves also show their share of persistence, as they keep making the documentary even with the risk of the "Pathogen" project's death, being put aside indefinitely, untouched for some months.This is a must-see for all paranoid parents who think their children may become disturbed citizens when they grow up if they watch horror movies when they're young. The important thing to keep in mind is not the subject of the child's attention, but the parent's attitude towards it. In this movie, Megan treats a Zombie movie as just what it is: a movie, a project to be executed, a career opportunity, and above all, a learning opportunity. Even if you don't like zombie movies, and don't want to watch "Pathogen", you should see this movie. It's not about zombies, it's about making your ideas happen, through perseverance and support.