|
George A. Romero is a horror legend thanks to his many zombie films, including the grandaddy of them all, Night of the Living Dead (1968). Several of his other features, however, have gone egregiously overlooked -- at least to the mainstream public -- including The Crazies (1973), Martin (1977), and Knightriders (1981). They're not perfect by any means, and they all suffer visibly from shoestring budgets, but there are bits of brilliance in each of the three. So it's no surprise that someone saw fit to remake/reimagine/reboot The Crazies (2010), and to do so with a sizable budget and a strong cast.
The original followed a group of people in a Pennsylvania town who've somehow managed to stay sane once a virus infects pretty much everyone else, turning friends and loved ones into crazy killers. Upping the stakes, the military has descended on the town, determined to contain the spread of the virus, nicknamed Trixie, even if that means some unaffected people must fend for themselves and likely die trying to flee.
The remake, which will open nationwide on February 26, spins a similar but updated cautionary tale. The action unfolds in the midwest, and a toxin -- released via an experimental bio-weapon -- taints the local water supply, turning normal people into lunatics. And yes, the military clamps down, once again letting no one in or out. Among the uninfected struggling to survive are Sheriff David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant); Judy (Radha Mitchell), who is a doctor and Dutton's wife, and happens to be pregnant; Becca (Danielle Panabaker), Judy's office assistant at the hospital where they work; and Russell (Joe Anderson), the sheriff's loyal deputy. Unlike the original, which told its story through the eyes of the soldiers circling the town, the remake tells it from the Duttons' perspective.
Olyphant is a solid, underrated actor whose credits range from Scream 2 (1997) and Go (1999) to Deadwood (TV) and Live Free or Die Hard (2007), while Mitchell is no stranger to sci-fi and horror dramas, as she's already appeared in the likes of Pitch Black (1999), Silent Hill (2006), Rogue (2007), and Surrogates (2009). Panabaker, meanwhile has been on a scream queen run that's included Friday the 13th (2009), a guest shot as a brilliant killer on Medium (TV) and John Carpenter's upcoming return to fright fare, The Ward (2010). Anderson is probably best known for his roles in Across the Universe (2007) and The Ruins (2008). Calling the shots on the film is Breck Eisner, whom many observers consider next-big-thing material. He previously directed Sahara (2005) and just signed on for another remake, Flash Gordon. The goopy makeup effects were created by the well-regarded team at Almost Human. And guess who's listed as an executive producer? George A. Romero. Bottom line: We've got our fingers crossed that The Crazies (2010) will deliver equal parts scares, action thrills, and social commentary.
