The one film I have been anticipating since it’s announcment in 2009… a recreation of George A Romero’s classic motion picture “The Crazies”. Before I go on explaining why I dub this film a revolutionizing zombie flick, I will let out some of the plotline so spoiler alert guys! I also feel the need to find the words to describe the AWESOMENESS of this film and how it’s pulled off… to the review!

The film is set in a small farming town in Iowa. Just what you’d expect from a farming community, a place where everyone knows everyone and no problems are seen, apart from the odd meteor rock freak (Smallville reference. I had to). My surprise was how fast the film jumped into the contamination of “The Crazies”. The film opens with a farmer getting headshotted in the middle of a baseball game. Memories for the kids eh? What I loved about this film was it wasn’t all set at night like you get with most zombie films which gets old. You always think of daylight being safe and night being dangerous, but the film is based over four days featuring death, destruction and good ‘ole gore in the day as well as night. I also find with the zombie flicks you never have any explanation to why or where the infection comes from which is where this film excels! The hidden plot behind the survival storyline is the whole government cover up of a weapon gone wrong.

I feel all zombie films should have a checklist to include to make the film change-your-pants worthy… I’ve decided to introduce this list to my review so you guys who do enjoy the zombie/infection films out there can go through your favourites and decide whether they were that good compared to this list.

1. Daylight horror, as well as night time
2. Military involvement
3. Containment of the infection (or attempts…)
4. The cool guy turning bad/killing himself/dying
5. Big ass explosion
6. Molestation of a zombie (Stink Of Flesh anyone…?)

Reading this list only three films come to mind with several points from the checklist – The Crazies, 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later. I might be missing films out, I may not, but they are the only films I can think of. Although people may argue, they are not zombies in The Crazies, but infected people. Still, the same is true of 28 Days but considered a zombie film and a fine one at that!

Back to the review… the films CGI is barely noticeable apart from the obvious explosions and effects (I don’t want to give away too much!) and the cinematography is just perfect. It gives the perfect survivalist impression to the viewer and emphasises the gore without making it over the top.

Open wide...

If I’m honest, although I don’t want to be… not many films can make me jump and make me want to curl up into a ball and cry from the obvious Crazy going to pop up behind someone and try ripping them apart but The Crazies did just that. The amount of effort and awesomeness put into this film really did pull off.

I was very stuck whether to choose 4 or 5 stars for the film, I went with 4 to be fair but, if I didn’t have these conflicting emotions that if I put it as a 5, so many other films will have to be too, I’d have rated it as high as I could. The Crazies is a film you cannot miss while it is in cinema, and if you do a pre-ordered DVD is necessary to enjoy such a pants-filling, stomach pounding awesome film.