The Crazies (2010) – DVD Review

Timothy Olyphant is one of Hollywood’s most underrated actors. His body of work is extensive, but rarely do people speak of him in a way other than, “hey, it’s that guy.” The first time I saw him in anything was Scream 2 (1997).

While he may have been relegated to secondary roles, Olyphant continues to amaze and impress audiences with his range and skill as an actor with roles on Deadwood, Damages, and the lead in Hitman.

Most recently, Olyphant has found success on the awesome FX series, Justified, where he plays a city cop transferred back to his hometown. It’s an amazing series that I highly, highly recommend. It’s fantastic.

So, let’s talk about The Crazies. This horror film is a amazingly well-acted and nicely shot horror remake. When something starts to takeover the minds of the citizens of a small town, it’s up to the mild-mannered Sheriff (Olyphant), his pregnant wife (Radha Mitchell), and his loyal deputy (Joe Anderson) to try and figure out what’s going on and what they can do to stop it. When the military suddenly pops up, the Sheriff and company soon realize that the Crazies aren’t the only threat they have to deal with.

A remake of a George A. Romero film from 1973, The Crazies is a fresh twist on a tried and true genre that Romero has capitalized on for decades: zombie horror. Are the Crazies zombies? Are they just insane? And how does one go about killing their neighbor, best friend, or relative who has suddenly turned homicidal?

I was pleasantly surprised by how good this remake is and how timely the storyline remains to this day. With the threats of Avian Flu, H1N1, and other biological scares, the reality of something like what happens in The Crazies becomes all the more relevant.

Loaded with special features, the DVD includes the following featurettes and more:

Behind the Scenes with Director Breck Eisner

Paranormal Pandemics

The George A. Romero Template

Make-Up Mastermind: Rob Hall in Action

The Crazies: Motion Comic – Episode 1

The Crazies: Motion Comic – Episode 2

Visual Effects in Motion

Trailers

Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery

Storyboards: Building a Scene (DVD-ROM)

Screenplay (DVD-ROM)

While not for the squeamish, The Crazies is entertaining horror fare with top-notch performances and some great moments of suspense. Check it out!

The Crazies is NOW available on DVD and Blu-ray!

Check out the trailer below!

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