In 1973, George A. Romero, the director and writer behind the “Living Dead” saga, released a little-known horror movie. It was about a town where everyone was driven insane — killing, raping and mutilating each other. The military stepped in, trying to contain whatever was happening, which in turn, portrayed a dark, evil view of humanity and the government. The movie was called “The Crazies,” and almost 40 years later, Breck Eisner directed and let loose a remake which goes much further than the original did.
“The Crazies” takes place in Ogden Marsh, a small, rural Iowa town. Baseball season is starting, and the town appears cheerful and excited. Sheriff David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant) is happy policing his quiet town, where his pregnant wife, Julia (Radha Mitchell), is the town doctor. Everything seems fine, until a local drunk walks into the middle of the field during a baseball game — carrying a shotgun. Sheriff Dutton shoots him after the man raises the gun, concluding his erratic behavior was due to intoxication. However, his autopsy later reveals a startling fact.
Soon, other people in the town start to act odd, ranging from wandering about aimlessly and staring into space, to repeating themselves over and over. Suddenly those acting strange turn violent, killing and maiming anyone they come across. David and his deputy, Russell (Joe Anderson), soon discover that a cover up, involving a mysterious plane crash, is occurring. By then, the military has already begun to realize what is happening and brutally begins to establish control — quarantining or killing anyone who could possibly be “infected.” However, all hell breaks loose as the “crazies” start mercilessly murdering anyone they can. From then on, David, Julia, Russell and Becca (Danielle Panabaker), a local nurse, are on the run from both the military and the “crazies.”
With regards to acting, “The Crazies” is spot on; you actually get a sense of how terrified and paranoid the characters have become. The military speaks in hollow, clipped tones, adding to their seemingly inhuman treatment of the townspeople. However, some of the extras seem much calmer then they should be, seeing as the military is herding them up like cattle. But the stars of the movie are the actors who portray the infected, perfectly demonstrating how they are not the usual movie zombies. Becoming a mixture of emotional and emotionless, the actors express the aspects of humanity that becoming “crazy” strips them of. The special effects enhance this change, showing a violently deranged hunter bleeding from his nose and eyes, staring down at a victim. Their grins, laughs and all kinds of horrible, twisted facial expressions add to the deranged aspect of the “crazies.”
Cinematography in the film is very well done, with plenty of shocking moments. But what the film does differently is instead of always resorting to something jumping out at you, it allows the fear to pan into the shot. Plenty of times things do burst into the frame, but a few good scares come from the camera slowly turning to the side, showing a terrifying hidden sight. Music helps with this as well, as plenty of the horror is builds up slowly with a metronome beat, like a car wash or a baby’s toy in the background.
As a remake, the movie does a lot to separate itself from the original, while maintaining the same working parts. Both deal with the military being an antagonist, showing the army as heartless killers. Both deal with the paranoia of infection, though the remake doesn’t delve as far into this as the original. The one major difference between the two is the ending, which I won’t spoil for you. Suffice to say, the remake leaves an open, slightly unsatisfying end to the story.
This movie is a good remake to a decent, though unknown, horror film. If you have the chance, check it out — just don’t expect traditional zombie horror here.
Be the first to comment on this article!