Director:
Breck Eisner
Cast:
Timothy Olyphant
Radha Mitchell
Joe Anderson
Danielle Panabaker
Rated: R
As the title would suggest, things get downright crazy in this remake.
“The Crazies” takes place in classic small town America. Set in Iowa, the movie follows Sheriff David Dutton (Olyphant) who begins to notice a barrage of strange activity in the town.
As more reports of crazed townsfolk become regular, Dutton learns that the cause is a virus that has found its way in the city. As a result, Dutton, his Sheriff Deputy and his wife have to deal with the ‘crazies’ and merciless government containment agents.
“The Crazies” is a superb horror movie that delivers its fear both through classic zombie genre tropes and also by setting up government conspiracy theories. Combined, these aspects make for a creepy atmosphere that feels so real that it transcends to the audience.
The story, meanwhile, is well told as it takes the characters into suspenseful situations dealing with both those infected by the virus as well as the punishing military. This keeps the situation from being dull and it leads to a satisfying conclusion.
Another aspect that was refreshing here were the characters. Unlike some other horror characters that can make a person want to pull their hair out for the decisions, these people make some solid choices.
Additionally, even when tensions start to rise up, they never get at each others throats to the point where an audience will start to get annoyed by their antics. This made them very easy to root for.
“The Crazies” also boasts some creepy makeup work, with the infected looking more like savage monsters rather than decaying zombies. The military was also set up well, being all dressed in masks and dark uniforms to give the impression of one dangerous unit.
It all comes together for a memorable and very watchable horror film that is a step above others. 4 out of 5.
