It is clear that the current cycle of horror remakes is far from over and the results so far have for the most part been surprisingly good. This trend continues with 'The Crazies'- a reinvention of George Romero's little-seen 1973 original. The plot is beyond simple: a biological agent gets into the water supply of a small town in Iowa called Ogden Marsh and turns the inhabitants into homicidal maniacs. Things get even worse when a US Army unit initiates a brutal containment operation where shooting first and not bothering to ask questions is the order of the day.
The film wastes little time building up to the first outbreak of insanity and then chillingly portrays how the town's social fabric is obliterated at break-neck speed. There is an abundance of scary moments, inventive gore, and even some very black humor. Some moments are so intensely suspenseful that time seems to practically stand still. All the cast play their parts well; including Timothy Olyphant as the town sheriff, Joe Anderson as his deputy, and Radha Mitchell as the town doctor. The minimalist soundtrack is also strikingly effective. All in all, this film is a treat for horror fans and for anyone looking for an intense night out at the movies.
