The Crazies (Breck Eisner's 2010 remake)

[Dukefrukem]

http://deadlydrjay.files.wordpress.co m/2009/02/timthumbphp.jpeg

Well I'm automatically THERE on opening night.

Apple Trailer (http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/thecrazies/)

I'd like to warn people that the trailer does have a pretty major and OBVIOUS SPOILER at the end. So if you'd like to watch up until the car wash scene, i wouldn't recommend watching any further.

I love Olyphant in this role. I can't wait.

[Rowland]

Between Silent Hill, Rogue, and now this, Radha Mitchell is fast becoming my kinda scream queen, so I hope this turns out well.

[ledfloyd]

i think this is one of romero's films that could benefit from a remake. but 'from the director of 'sahara'' makes me wary.

[lovejuice]

i think this is one of romero's films that could benefit from a remake. but 'from the director of 'sahara'' makes me wary.
that might actually sell me the ticket. :P sahara is not great, but pretty decent considered the material. and he seems to show some sort of potential there.

[Dukefrukem]

that might actually sell me the ticket. :P sahara is not great, but pretty decent considered the material. and he seems to show some sort of potential there.

Sahara is a huge suck fest. This also makes me weary of this movie.

[MadMan]

I never saw the original, although I should probably get around to it. I suppose a remake couldn't hurt in this case.

[Dukefrukem]

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/photosizer/timthumb.php?src=/photosizer/upload/newcrazies2121209.jpg&w=600&zc=0

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/photosizer/timthumb.php?src=/photosizer/upload/newcrazieshire121209.jpg&w=600&zc=0

[MadMan]

After seeing the original, which is a thriller/sci-fi/action movie really centered around Vietnam (to a certain extent), I am actually looking forward to the remake. As it appears to be apocalyptic horror, and is thus an example of the fact that a good remake should take pre-existing material and fashion something new and interesting out of it. And oh yeah, the trailer is downright freaky-I never get tired of hearing "Mad World," even though its been overused.

[Dukefrukem]

Out this Friday.... anyone else excited? :-D

[Skitch]

I am.

[number8]

I like how this is an environmentalist movie and is being used in a Greenpeace campaign.

http://www.takepart.com/thecrazies

[MadMan]

Out this Friday.... anyone else excited? :-DYes I will be seeing it in theaters.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Out this Friday.... anyone else excited? :-D

Nope. I'm passing on it.

[number8]

Nope. I'm passing on it.

What, do you hate the environment?

[Dead & Messed Up]

What, do you hate the environment?

Fuck grass.

[Spun Lepton]

Don't worry, Duke, I'm kinda interested in this, too. Although, I want to see how the reviews pan out before I decide to see it.

[megladon8]

So in an interview with Rotten Tomatoes about this movie, Timothy Olyphant talks about how the worst thing - the thing he hates the most in movies - is people making a movie with a heavy-handed message.

Errr....:confused:

[number8]

Oh yeah, saw this tonight.

I wasn't crazy about it.

[Rowland]

Slant gave it three and a half stars, cool. http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/the-crazies/4683

[Dukefrukem]

Oh yeah, saw this tonight.

I wasn't crazy about it.

That typically means I'm gonna love it... :pritch:

[Spun Lepton]

Currently at 88% on RT.

[D_Davis]

This looks great, but like most movies now days I probably won't end up seeing it.

:(

[Ivan Drago]

This looks great, but like most movies now days I probably won't end up seeing it.

:(

Same with me. Fucking film production 2 and animation 2.

[number8]

Here. http://www.justpressplay.net/movie-reviews/40-reviews/6423-the-crazies.html

[Dukefrukem]

Here. http://www.justpressplay.net/movie-reviews/40-reviews/6423-the-crazies.html

Higher grade than I thought you were gonna give. Kinda figured it was gonna be predictable.

I've already got my ticket for this.

[megladon8]

I really want to see this.

I like Timothy Olyphant.

[number8]

Higher grade than I thought you were gonna give.

Same here. Didn't like it, but not as completely crappy as I thought it would be. The cast saved it, I think.

[Dukefrukem]

Same here. Didn't like it, but not as completely crappy as I thought it would be. The cast saved it, I think.

I had the same reaction. Olyphant and Mitchell are great. It's clearly better than the original, but like you said in your review, it's predictable as all hell.

Loved the car wash scene. And the baby room scene.

One thing that doesn't make sense;


The guy they took out with the tire spikes, he said something about not wanting a nation wide pandemic... Well I wonder how the rest of the country will feel when a nuclear bomb gets detonated on American soil. :rolleyes:



Between Silent Hill, Rogue, and now this, Radha Mitchell is fast becoming my kinda scream queen, so I hope this turns out well.

This movie put her at #1 for me.

[number8]

The guy they took out with the tire spikes, he said something about not wanting a nation wide pandemic... Well I wonder how the rest of the country will feel when a nuclear bomb gets detonated on American soil. :rolleyes:


Didn't the news footage during the credits say it was faulty gas line or something like that? I don't remember, but I think they covered it up.

[Dukefrukem]

Didn't the news footage during the credits say it was faulty gas line or something like that? I don't remember, but I think they covered it up.

Missed it, but that implies they didn't use nuclear weapons... the fallout and radiation would be obvious...

[number8]

Missed it, but that implies they didn't use nuclear weapons... the fallout and radiation would be obvious...

It might imply that, or it might imply shitty writing.

[Skitch]

Gah, I need to see this.

[Fezzik]

Oh yeah, saw this tonight.

I wasn't crazy about it.

I see what you did there. :)

So, is this a "horror" film, with genuine scares, or just a bizarre thriller? Someone asked me that yesterday, and I have no idea.

[Dukefrukem]

I see what you did there. :)

So, is this a "horror" film, with genuine scares, or just a bizarre thriller? Someone asked me that yesterday, and I have no idea.

There are a few genuine scares, a few predictable ones and a few misleading ones. Also creates some great tension throughout the duration.

[Kurosawa Fan]

This was well done. Nothing terribly original, and some scenes dragged on too long, but there were some pretty inspired moments (particularly the car wash sequence) and Olyphant was fantastic as usual. This really worked pretty well for me.

[Rowland]

This was well done. Nothing terribly original, and some scenes dragged on too long, but there were some pretty inspired moments (particularly the car wash sequence) and Olyphant was fantastic as usual. This really worked pretty well for me.Ditto, glad to see I'm not alone on that.

[MadMan]

After a second viewing, I like that this movie does in some ways cover Vietnam and Iraq. Plus Olyphant is fantastic-I actually dug the entire main cast, especially whoever played Russell. The ending amuses me simply because its name dropping my home town of Cedar Rapids, and the car wash scene is guranteed to end up on my Top 10 scenes of 2010 near year's end. This is one of the better modern horror movies I've seen in years, and I'm surprised that it came from a guy known only for making that crappy looking Saraha movie that I've avoided.

[Dukefrukem]

Ha. Sahara is a huge pile of suck. I bought this on DVD and i'm pretty excited to watch it again. Agreed with Olyphant and his character. One of the few examples where the remake far exceeds the quality of the original.

[Scar]

Arriving from Netflix tomorrow. Going in pretty blind to it, so I must not click on the spoiler tags. May see it Friday or Saturday, as I'm making my Fargo run tomorrow.

[Skitch]

I haven't seen this since the theater, but I hope it holds up on second viewing. I quite enjoyed it the first time.

Olyphant is quickly becoming an actor I enjoy no matter the quality of film he does. Hell, even Hitman got better with repeat viewing.

[Dukefrukem]

Olyphant is quickly becoming an actor I enjoy no matter the quality of film he does. Hell, even Hitman got better with repeat viewing.

He's #2 behind Fillion for me.

[Scar]

I rather enjoyed it, I think my favorite part was:

Knife to the hand, followed by knife in hand to throat

[Henry Gale]

I rather enjoyed it, I think my favorite part was:

Knife to the hand, followed by knife in hand to throat

Exactly. That whole sequence and the car wash one are, for me, two of the best horror sequences in recent memory.

The rest is really enjoyable and shocking well-shot too. Good flick.

[MadMan]

I rather enjoyed it, I think my favorite part was:

Knife to the hand, followed by knife in hand to throatBadass to the core, and something really unexpected.

[soitgoes...]

I rather enjoyed it, I think my favorite part was:

Knife to the hand, followed by knife in hand to throat

Followed by the mingling of infected and non-infected blood that is overlooked.

[Scar]

Followed by the mingling of infected and non-infected blood that is overlooked.

Many disease aren't spread through blood. Different biological infections/agents require different vectors of transmission.

[Boner M]

Really dug this. A little too many jump scares & neat close calls, but the cast sells it and this Eisner dude really knows how to work the frame (the casual spotting of the infected guy in the diner as Mitchell sits at the bench!); two things that almost always elevate this kinda fare. Loved the text sign-out.

[Raiders]

Really dug this. A little too many jump scares & neat close calls, but the cast sells it and this Eisner dude really knows how to work the frame (the casual spotting of the infected guy in the diner as Mitchell sits at the bench!); two things that almost always elevate this kinda fare. Loved the text sign-out.

Yeah, this. It is movies like this that makes me respect professional critics who can actually write something useful about a very well made film with little to actually talk about.

[Dukefrukem]

Glad you liked it Boner. I agree with the jump scares, they could have cut a few of them out.

[number8]

I have the only lukewarm reaction so far?

[Boner M]

I have the only lukewarm reaction so far?
5 nays in the consensus thread, so no.

[Henry Gale]

To those that have seen this: How do you feel about Eisner helming the Escape From New York remake with Timothy Olyphant possibly starring?

Having just watched the original for the first time in ages, I definitely think it's a movie that wouldn't be harmed by a well-done adaptation of it now, as great as it already is (though aspects of it would play differently in something set in a future of our world now). After some other recent names that have surrounded the remake before, like Gerard Butler and Brett Ratner, the lineup of Eisner as director and Olyphant as Plissken is something I'd be perfectly fine with.

It's possible that just finishing Season 1 of Justified helps with my approval too.

[Dukefrukem]

To those that have seen this: How do you feel about Eisner helming the Escape From New York remake with Timothy Olyphant possibly starring?

Having just watched the original for the first time in ages, I definitely think it's a movie that wouldn't be harmed by a well-done adaptation of it now, as great as it already is (though aspects of it would play differently in something set in a future of our world now). After some other recent names that have surrounded the remake before, like Gerard Butler and Brett Ratner, the lineup of Eisner as director and Olyphant as Plissken is something I'd be perfectly fine with.

It's possible that just finishing Season 1 of Justified helps with my approval too.

http://match-cut.org/showpost.php?p=268073&postcount=572

Love it.

[MadMan]

To those that have seen this: How do you feel about Eisner helming the Escape From New York remake with Timothy Olyphant possibly starring?

Having just watched the original for the first time in ages, I definitely think it's a movie that wouldn't be harmed by a well-done adaptation of it now, as great as it already is (though aspects of it would play differently in something set in a future of our world now). After some other recent names that have surrounded the remake before, like Gerard Butler and Brett Ratner, the lineup of Eisner as director and Olyphant as Plissken is something I'd be perfectly fine with.

It's possible that just finishing Season 1 of Justified helps with my approval too.I think that done right, a remake of EFNY with Olyphant as Snake would be awesome. So yeah, I agree that with the right cast and all, plus a good story, a remake would work. I'm sure many feel otherwise, but I'm not against remakes anymore-just bad ones.

[Rowland]

A little too many jump scares & neat close callsI'd actually chalk some of these up to Eisner's sly sense of humor. Many of the scenes have expertly calibrated buildups and punchlines not unlike those of a slapstick comedy, with the scene in the morgue and especially the brilliant car wash sequence coming to mind. The close calls becoming a running gag that is openly acknowledged later in the film.

Anyways, good to see more fans. This is still the best genre film I've seen this year, and yet it's curiously underrated by many.

[Dukefrukem]

On top of the RARE occasions where a remake far exceeds the production quality and execution of the original...

[number8]

On top of the RARE occasions where a remake far exceeds the production quality ... of the original...

Pretty sure this happens all the time.

[Dukefrukem]

Production quality probably wasn't the best term to use there.

[Sxottlan]

I enjoyed this. Eisner's shot compositions were far above anything he did in Sahara. However, the story makes you want to eat a gun. If your neighbor doesn't kill you, your government will.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I enjoyed this. Eisner's shot compositions were far above anything he did in Sahara. However, the story makes you want to eat a gun. If your neighbor doesn't kill you, your government will.

It also discredits Iowa tap water.

I thought this movie was okay, and I think Arya's review nailed it. The film needed a lot more confusion paranoia and a lot less straight zombie action (this is another one of those zombie-by-proxy movies by the end), and the boo scares were tedious. The most interesting and satisfying moments involve us wondering whether people are "sick" or simply too panicked for their own good. The biggest let-down was in the final act, when

the hunters we saw earlier were now "crazies," implying that they were going crazy before. I thought we were in for a great sequence where they were dealing with hunters who'd simply snapped...but then their eyes were glowy and their skin looked like they'd been attacked by Fulci's makeup artists.

Still, there's stuff to like. Like everybody else, I loved the car wash scene, mostly for the moment when

the helicopter bombs the car.

Rowland's comment about "punchlines" feels appropriate.

[Bosco B Thug]

Eh. Kinda clever, I guess. People are being really nice to this one. How this got 3 1/2s from both Slant and FFC I have no idea. No way is it more notable than Romero's original, as easy as it is to shoot potshots at that one.

Cleanly written and well-built, but nevertheless totally by the numbers. The fact that it had compelling lead actors really saves it.

I'll admit I loved the car wash scene, though. That cool number seems to have won everyone over, no matter how you resist.

[Irish]

Enjoyed this for what it was. Loses some steam toward the end. Thought it was stronger when there was more zombie/ government paranoia flying around. Scene in the barn with the soldier was my favorite. Nifty way to throw out a little exposition and heighten the tension.

There was a build up early on that wasn't really paid off in the end. The movie turns into a more typical post-apocalyptic zombie thing than paranoid thriller, which was a shame. I got a little annoyed when they leaned on typically stupid horror movie tropes (cars that won't start when they need to; groups splitting up in deserted, creepy spaces; characters who completely lack peripheral vision; etc).

But: It was fun. Agree with everyone else that Olyphant and the deputy guy saved the movie. This would have sucked with teeny-bopper WB actors.

[MadMan]

I would have laughed if they had casted teeny booper actors since its set in a small Iowa town. I'm not saying there aren't pretty people in Iowa, but there sure as hell aren't that kind of pretty people in a small, mostly rural Iowa town.