‘The Crazies’ Defies Rule That Horror Remakes Never Work

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Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Horror remakes are almost never a good idea but there seems to be something about George A. Romero’s work that defies that expectation. Zack Snyder delivered with his version of “Dawn of the Dead” and now Breck Eisner has shocked genre fans with his effective take on the low budget classic “The Crazies”.

Eisner wisely keeps his “Crazies” simple, refusing to bastardize the simple structure of Romero’s film with too much back story or detailed explanation of the chaos in Ogden Marsh. Yes, some of Romero’s social and political context is lost but the driving pace of his best work is the clear focus of the production of this version of “The Crazies”. Eisner and writers Scott Kosar and Ray Wright wisely recognize that we don’t need complex back stories or detailed explanations; we just want to strap in and ride the rollercoaster and, on those terms, “The Crazies” delivers.

The Crazies.
Photo credit: Overture Films

“The Crazies” lives up to its title from the opening scene. Practically the entire town of Ogden Marsh is attending a baseball game when a local farmer wanders into right field with a shotgun. Officer David Dutton (a very well-cast Timothy Olyphant) takes him down with a single shot but it’s just the beginning. The next night one of the patients of David’s doctor wife Judy (Radha Mitchell) locks his spouse and child in a closet and sets the house on fire. When the cops get there, he’s whistling a happy tune.

Before anyone can catch their breath, the military descends on Ogden Marsh and begins an intense containment protocol, one that cuts the entire town off with no forms of communication or transportation. David and Judy are separated along with the rest of the town into the well and the sick (of which they think Judy belongs due to a raised temperature from her being pregnant). Before long, David and Judy have reunited and must band together with David’s deputy (Joe Anderson) and Judy’s co-worker (Danielle Panabaker) against both their neighbors and the military.

From its opening act, this version of “The Crazies” has a darkly humorous streak that Romero would love. Shots like a runaway buzz saw skipping its way across a tile floor or a frightened Judy reflected in the gas mask of a soldier are spectacular little touches in a stylishly made film.

The Crazies.
Photo credit: Overture Films

The military assault of the original had more resonance in the era of Vietnam and some of the social and political context of the new version is clearly missed. The first act contains an intriguing angle in that most of the “bad guys” are the men of Odgen Marsh, allowing for something of a commentary on male aggression, but that route is never explored in depth.

Writers Scott Kosar and Ray Wright drop any pretense at answers, explanations, or social context in favor of edge-of-the-seat set pieces that rival anything in the action horror genre in years. There are set pieces in “The Crazies” - “the pitchfork,” “the car wash,” “the nursery” - that are so well-staged and conceived that they make the film worth seeing on their very own. To use the rollercoaster analogy, the “hills” of this ride are so much fun that they make the lulls or flaws easier to overlook.

As for what those are, all characters except Olyphant’s charismatic lead are underwritten. There are also a few too many jump shots (where the music is turned to eleven to get you to jump at something usually innocuous) and some of the dialogue is a bit cliched.

But these are minor flaws for a film that’s as well-structured and paced as any in the genre in a long time. Most modern horror films are more terrifyingly boring than actually terrifying. What’s most effective about “The Crazies” is that it never drags. It’s crazy fun.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com [email protected]