I went into the cinema with not much information on this one other than the fact I knew it was a re-make of a somewhat classic but mostly forgotten zombie horror directed by the legend, George A. Romero (Dawn Of The Dead). Back then, I guess, these kinds of films were rare but nowadays it feels like we have seen it all before; I did still see plenty of people leaping of their seats though.
Set in the small state of Iowa, local Sheriff David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant) discovers that the water supply is infected by radiation which has come from a military plane crashing in their local river. As soon as the water hits town, people are infected. No, they don’t turn into zombies, they turn into “crazies” so basically they slowly become crazy and start brutally murdering people. Once the town is overrun, evacuation plans immediately take place and Dutton’s wife is kept behind as the military fear she is infected. On a courageous mission, Sheriff Dutton and his deputy must battle their way back through the chaos that was once his home town to get his wife back.
Olyphant is one of those overlooked actors; he’s been great in many films like A Perfect Gateway and Die Hard 4.0 where he played the main villain, but this film, in my opinion, finally gives him that opportunity to show off all his talent.
The Crazies sure does push the boundaries when it comes to being rated 15 but the atmosphere is admiring and, at times, very captivating making for a suspenseful but rewarding horror. Yes this motion picture might well just give some of you nightmares but I am sure you have not had that happen since the brilliant Paranormal Activity, so this will indeed be a refreshing reminder that horrors can still be created, and audiences can still be scared.