The Crazies (2010)

What is it about?

Science Fiction horror film set in a fictional Iowa town, where people randomly begin to act aggressive, lashing out at other people in extremely violent ways. The town is quarantined when it transpires that the local water supply may be contaminated, causing an infection that is sending the townspeople crazy. Our hero is the town Sheriff, with his deputy, his doctor wife and her friend, all trying to escape from the town.

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Who's in it?

Timothy Olyphant (Justified, Santa Clarita Diet, Scream 2) is our hero Sheriff, Radha Mitchell (Neighbours, Has Fallen series, Pitch Black) plays his wife and Danielle Panabaker (The Flash, Shark, Bones) plays the doctors friend, Becca.

These are the biggest names in the film, but there might be a few other faces that you'll recognise from small parts in mainstream movies or as part of the American crime show rotation.

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Why should I watch it?

It's an intriguing plot. Mixing science fiction with horror isn't the easiest job, as it can easily come off as too much of one thing and not enough of the other, too camp or not well thought out enough. To give the film it's credit, it does master this blend quite well. It delves into B movie territory slightly, but that only enhances the films experience, and doesn't take away from the fact that this is an intelligent movie. It's exceptionally well made as well. The special effects are note worthy, as is the style and tone of the film. It's very well shot and is beautiful to watch.

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Why won't I like it?

It's kind of dull. The film is very much led by it's action rather than the characters in the movie, which benefits the film but personally I wasn't a fan of. The characters weren't all that impressive and sometimes I felt like watching them converse between each other was like watching paint dry.

Somehow the only people in these movies that has a chance of survival has a certain type of career, and I'm getting bored of that stereotype. Just once, I'd love to see a doctor get it (because they have zero common sense) and a supermarket worker be the one to survive. It just doesn't feel like it's as relatable. As much as I've had great jobs and a career, I am telling you now some of the people I know would not survive an hour in an apocalypse. The film is also not memorable. It's one of those where, once you've watched it, you can talk about it once but will have to go on Wikipedia after a week for a refresher, on the off chance that you talk about it with someone else.

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What did you think of it?

It's okay. Science fiction is not really my genre, I do leave that one to my mother.I'm not a big zombie person or apocalyptic person anyway. It doesn't intrigue me. For a horror movie, I want more than what I saw on the screen when I watched this movie. It had some good "what the fu..." moments, but it was predictable. I've seen this story play out before a thousand times over in different genres and knew what was happening with my eyes closed.

It was beautifully made film, but I think the writers missed the opportunity to do something creative, and they really let the audience down with the lack of personality in the characters.

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Should I give it a go?

I wouldn't watch this again, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't watch it at least once. I keep saying it, it's a technically well made movie, but it is forgettable and does miss the mark in some ways. If you look at the film through a different lens, it might actually be more enjoyable.

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