So I rushed out to see The Crazies first showing of the day. There’s something to be said about matinees, you just don’t have to deal with all the crowds.

Anyways, I walked out of the theater this afternoon thinking “that was pretty damn good”, but I couldn’t shake this feeling that something was missing… something important. It hit me, a huge chunk of the original was dedicated to military and government characters, following two paths. The government and their need to contain the virus, and of course the small band of survivors. The remake barely scratches the surface of the military’s involvement. In the original the audience is a fly on the wall in both camps, whereas in the remake we focus solely on the survivors. The military’s involvement in the original was just as impactful as following the survivors… and we loose all of that here. Because of that, the overall effect the virus had is diminished and inconsistent.

Was the film bad… nope, far from it. The Crazies is actually quite enjoyable on other levels, and a suspenseful ride that doesn’t follow the exact pattern of the original. The script is good, the acting great, and the overall buildup of tension is effective, but as a remake, the film fails in a lot of areas. Unfortunately, in the last 20 minutes, the film devolves into standard Hollywood fare with a standoff that’s as predictable as the credit roll 10 minutes later. I much preferred the ending in the original… but I won’t spoil it! If you haven’t seen the original, you’ll probably love this film for everything that it is, without noticing what it isn’t. Overall, The Crazies is one of the better horror/thrillers to come out in awhile and it’s worth checking out.

On a side note, if you didn’t pick it up in my review, the production value was great and Director Breck Eisner did a very competent job directing. After this, seeing his name attached to the remake of Flash Gordon (2012), leaves me feeling a little more confident it won’t suck ass.

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