I felt like thinking back and reviewing “The Crazies,” which I saw the first weekend of it’s February 2010 release. This horror remake is one of the best adaptations I’ve seen. Unfortunately, I still have not seen the 1973 original version (soon to change). Timothy Olyphant stars alongside Radha Mitchell as the sheriff of Ogden March, Iowa. I was extremely impressed by Olyphant’s performance, as he dazzles with a less-than-impressive supporting cast.

The Crazies (2010)

The plot revolves around a small town in Iowa that falls victim to an outbreak that turns normal people into zombie-killers. Of course being a government cover-up, the people of Ogden Marsh are left to defend themselves as they are one-by-one infected with the virus. By the end of the movie, there are only a handful left as everyone else has either been infected, or exterminated by the government agency responsible for covering up the accident.

Pros: What I liked about The Crazies was that it was a non-stop roller-coaster ride from start to finish. Forget about being let down with boring pauses and scenes attempting to “fill in” the viewer on back story. Olyphant can actually be considered a badass after the release of this movie. The direction of the movie was overall done in a way to keep the audience on their toes. There were multiple scenes that had me sweating in my britches as one family member would have to hurdle through obstacles, dismembering friends and loved ones that they had known for years. Which brings you to the question, “if you were a zombie, would I kill you?” The special effects are a ton of fun but it also stays true to pioneer horror films using abrupt shrieks that literally make you shart. Yes, I said shart. (Definition: When you fart and all the shit comes out)

Cons: Very Predictable. You could see most of the plot points coming from a mile away. At one point I leaned over and whispered into my girlfriend’s ear what was going to happen next…sure enough. Also, there wasn’t enough gore! The make-up and special effects were amazing, but they definitely fell short in the blood and guts category. The pitchfork scene was pretty damn thrilling. But instead of getting blood splattering the walls after the zombie gruesomely stabs his pitchfork through strapped-down non-infected patients, we get a tiny bit of dripping blood dripping from the bottom. To go along with that, there were scenes that could have been eliminated from the theatrical cut. Although each scene was action packed, I felt like I was reliving the same exact thing every time. The only difference was that after each incident, one more person from their little group was dead.

Verdict: Overall it was very entertaining and worth the money to see in theaters. It’s definitely fascinating to see what a Hollywood movie looks like that was filmed just hours from your house in Iowa. I’m excited to see how the other two films that I worked on in Des Moines will turn out. They are due for release summer of 2010. I would definitely see The Crazies again and will most likely purchase it on DVD. To see that a legendary movie was remade in Iowa and wasn’t a complete failure is crucial for the Iowa film business. One more thing, The Crazies trailer was kick-ass but also preserved some of the important key points that didn’t giveaway the entire story…unlike Sherlock Holmes.

Rating: 7.8/10