The Crazies Grade: A-
Audiences know exactly what is going to happen before they set foot in the theater and “The Crazies” plans for it. The film wastes no time setting the scene and commencing the mayhem. But it is a slow-moving mayhem that knows when to jump, when to edge in dreadful anticipation and even when to settle into a quiet moment that manages to build suspense for what isn’t going horribly wrong.
Timothy Olyphant is spot on as David Dutton, a small-time sheriff with a big time problem. Alongside wife Judy (Rahda Mitchell), he is just as baffled as the audience while the residents of Ogden Marsh, Iowa, — population: 2,000 — slowly descend into murderous psychopaths, one grisly death after another. It’s a story of survival and simple fears turned into horrifying realities where the neighbors you’ve known your entire life suddenly try to impale you with a pitchfork or burn you alive and you have no idea why. Compound that fear with a military force descending on your town in full body armor with guns and gas masks, and the film is ripe for digging into our deepest fears.
“The Crazies” sees no need to get bogged down in fan service; it features no nudity or needless humor. Not to say that the film doesn’t have its funny moments, but they are not extraneous. Instead, they are seamlessly woven into the plot in a dark laughter-against-the-madness fashion. “The Crazies” also manages to avoid over-explaining itself, instead having a quick and effective, if cursory, exposition. Even the gore stays mild for much of the first half, preferring genuine fear to grotesque displays of latex and corn syrup. This is not to say that the film doesn’t have its fair share of gruesome moments, but all are very effective without being overdone.
As pure, fright inducing horror, “The Crazies” is pulse pounding and fairly scary but never terrifying. Instead of abject nightmares, it prefers tension and thrills (although the film does manage some excellent and innovative kills including a car wash that will keep you cleaning your car in the driveway for a very long time).
Director Breck Eisner has remade George A. Romero’s original horror with thrills, momentum and a few decent chills. We understand and empathize with these characters and share their dread as the people around them start to go crazy. Enjoyable and approachable to general audiences (albeit probably dissatisfying to hardcore horror fans), “The Crazies” is a solid thrill that will leave your heart beating fast and your head completely free of nightmares — mostly.
You can reach this staff writer at bkoenig@theeagleonline.com.
