"Well, this may be the exception."
Two of the problems with being a fan of the horror genre are that you have to be incredibly forgiving of frequent glaring weaknesses in films, and that great horror movies are hugely outnumbered by at best workman-like dross. The 2010 version of The Crazies, however, is one of those rare American horror movies which comes along occasionally that is intelligent, convincing and does not pander to the low-brow teenage market at any point. With an almost complete focus on the townsfolk of Ogden Marsh and the military presence reduced to short and utterly brutal appearances in this version, the always-reliable Radha Mitchell and the excellent Timothy Olyphant make for a consistently compelling pair of leads, with a wonderful supporting performance from Joe Anderson as the Deputy Sheriff. Even though the general scenario of 'infected town isolated and destroyed' has become over-familiar over recent decades, The Crazies is uncompromising, relentless and hits the ground running. Conventional horror settings such as the mortuary and a barn full of farm implements are given a fresh, kinetic yet controlled spin here, and Eisner directs with real vision by using space and framing to great effect throughout. The lean and taut script also thankfully resists the temptation of giving characters throwaway one-liners (although there are plenty of opportunities) in reactions to events, which is the downfall of so many American horrors. The adventurous and beautifully-designed soundscape is also a treat. The second half does veer towards Idiot Plot occasionally, and there is an underlying sense of inevitability of the fate of the characters, but overall The Crazies is an excellently-constructed, consistently engaging and worthy film, which does something rare in watching American horror: it actually makes you feel for the characters.
Two of the problems with being a fan of the horror genre are that you have to be incredibly forgiving of frequent glaring weaknesses in films, and that great horror movies are hugely outnumbered by at best workman-like dross. The 2010 version of The Crazies, however, is one of those rare American horror movies which comes along occasionally that is intelligent, convincing and does not pander to the low-brow teenage market at any point. With an almost complete focus on the townsfolk of Ogden Marsh and the military presence reduced to short and utterly brutal appearances in this version, the always-reliable Radha Mitchell and the excellent Timothy Olyphant make for a consistently compelling pair of leads, with a wonderful supporting performance from Joe Anderson as the Deputy Sheriff. Even though the general scenario of 'infected town isolated and destroyed' has become over-familiar over recent decades, The Crazies is uncompromising, relentless and hits the ground running. Conventional horror settings such as the mortuary and a barn full of farm implements are given a fresh, kinetic yet controlled spin here, and Eisner directs with real vision by using space and framing to great effect throughout. The lean and taut script also thankfully resists the temptation of giving characters throwaway one-liners (although there are plenty of opportunities) in reactions to events, which is the downfall of so many American horrors. The adventurous and beautifully-designed soundscape is also a treat. The second half does veer towards Idiot Plot occasionally, and there is an underlying sense of inevitability of the fate of the characters, but overall The Crazies is an excellently-constructed, consistently engaging and worthy film, which does something rare in watching American horror: it actually makes you feel for the characters.
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