review by Josh Keown Pro
The Crazies 2010
Rewatched Aug 18, 2012
Josh Keown’s review:
“Hoo-fucking-yah.”
-Russell Clank (Joe Anderson)
The Crazies is a remake of a relatively unheard-of horror film of the same name, by genre king George A. Romero. Like its predecessor, The Crazies slipped unnoticed under the radar, and because of this is arguably one of the most underrated ‘zombie’ movies of the past decade.
I use the term zombie lightly, as like Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, cannot really be defined as such. The film follows the aftermath of a deadly biological agent, which irradiates the water supply of a small town in Iowa and turns most residents into bloodthirsty ‘crazies’.
The concept is certainly nothing new, but what it lacks in originality, it more than makes up for in suspense. The tension built is palpable, and is aided by good pacing and a number of frightening scenes. Although the nature of the infection is never truly elaborated on, the film flies along at such a brisk pace you aren’t really bothered.
Timothy Olyphant is likable as town sheriff David and Radha Mitchell fine as Doctor Judy, adding depth to slight characters. The script could have done with some work to smooth over inconsistencies, but is made up for by some spectacular visuals. Besides that it is well done, despite not adding anything new to the genre.
It’s faithful enough to Romero’s original classic (Which if you haven’t seen, I would recommend) to please fans, but also stands up remarkably well in its own right. I would definitely recommend a watch.
VERDICT; It’s obviously a labour of love and is a nice homage to the original. Although The Crazies is standard fare, it’s enjoyable regardless, and very well made. I look forward to seeing more from Breck Eisner.
3.5/5 or 7/10
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