THE CRAZIES
Welcome to Ogden Marsh, the friendliest place on earth
Directed by Breck Eisner
Reviewed by Deep Red
Remake of George A. Romero’s 1973 cult classic of the same name. This gets more favourable reviews than Romero’s film from what I’ve seen but that’s cult classic’s for you! I was going to review the original but my Blu-ray player decided it doesn’t like cult classics either and the bloody thing kept freezing up. I had to unplug it before it finally let me have the bastard so…. the remake it is! Fucking just bought it as well so I may have to take it back to Argos and insert it into someone’s anus.
Anyway, The Crazies (2010). Honestly, in a right mood now. Need a beer!
One beer later!
Right, the film opens with Johnny Cash singing We’ll Meet Again, which is cool, I love Johnny Cash. People in the town of Ogden Marsh are acting strangely and becoming homicidal for no apparent reason. A pilot’s body is discovered in the swamp and the sheriff, David Dutten (Timothy Olyphant – sounds like elephant!!) and his deputy Russell Clank (Joe Anderson) find the submerged plane. It isn’t long before the military arrives and takes over. David and his pregnant wife, Judy (Radha Mitchell), are separated when Judy fails the spot test.
A superb remake with plenty of action and great special effects. It’s pretty tense stuff too, especially following a scene with a pitchfork that doesn’t hold back and makes you wonder quite what’s coming next. The devastation of the town is nicely realised and this is a very pacey film, a lot happens in a fairly short space of time and it never drags. It quickly develops into a survival exercise for the four main characters, David, Judy, Russell and Becca (Danielle Panabaker), as they find themselves in danger from the military, other townspeople and each other.
Great cinematography adds a lot to the story as does the quality of the performances. This is quality horror. You’re never sure what’s going to happen next and it is consistently inventive from scene to scene which I found admirable. I was reminded of 28 Days Later (2002) in places, even The Stand (1994) but I love those, love this kind of film, so I was happy. Anyone familiar with the original will be familiar with Trixie and what that is but I don’t want to give too much away really. This does have a familiar vibe when you’ve seen various films of this type but I enjoy films of this type so what’s wrong with that? At least it’s being inventive and not just ripping off other films. It had more guts than World War Z (2013) and others, not that this is zombie film, a survival film though.
I highly recommend this. The original, whether you’ve heard of it or not, like it or not, is its own film and worth a watch in my opinion, this brings the story bang up to date and is everything a remake should be. On top of everything else it’s involving and definitely emotive in places, if it was a book it’d be a page-turner! And what else? Well, it doesn’t let you down at the end, or it didn’t me. I loved the conclusion, very impressed. And how many films end with Bring Me Sunshine? Goodness!
Now, where’s that anus?
