1. Watchlist: The Crazies (2010)

    The Crazies (2010)
    Directed by Breck Eisner
    Watched 2/25/2010 (Advance Screening) - 1st Viewing

    Confession Time: I have never seen the original 1973 version of The Crazies, directed by George Romero. Or, I should say, I haven’t seen ALL of the ‘79 version. I’ve tried many times to get through it, so many times I almost need two hands to count the attempts. The film is BORING, and from what I have seen (about 2/3 of it) extremely predictable. I liken it to a zombie film without any real zombies set in the worst of a late-70’s prime-time TV drama. The acting sucks, one scene is as dull as the next - and its worst crime is typically Romero’s strength - its message. If you like to be preached at for two hours, submit to tracking this turd down - you will love it.

    For those of us that like to enjoy life, stick to director Breck Eisner’s remake, in theaters 2/26/2010. The two films have little to do with each other past the fact that a) they both have “crazy” people in them and b) they share a weak town-wide “government-induced” quarantine plotline. Where the 2010 version shines is in focusing more on the aforementioned “Crazies” than on the original films “big-brother” thesis. Eisner’s film is much about “the scare” than the politics (a Romero staple) and its better for it. The vastly increased budget ($275,000 vs $20,000,000) shows well on screen throughout, and the film benefits greatly from the natural artistic progression the horror genre has experienced in the 37 years since the original.

    I’ll admit it’s a little unfair to pit two similar films against each other when so much time has passed, but whatever - I’m calling it. The 2010 Crazies isn’t anything mind-blowing, it won’t make anyone’s end-of-year list, but it also won’t put you to sleep - which is more than I can say for the original.

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