The Crazies (R, 2010)

common sense media says

Gory, scary horror remake with anti-military message.


parents & educators say
  • 75% say violence is an issue
  • 75% say language is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that THE CRAZIES is a violent, somewhat cynical remake of a 1973 film by famed horror director George A. Romero. The tense movie is filled with strong language, disturbing images, i.e. grisly piles of mutilated and burned corpses, as well as blood, jump-scares, and other frightening moments. But despite this, and the over-reliance on genre clichés, the movie contains some interesting ideas and should spark some good conversation between parents and older teens about the role of the military in society and the human instinct for survival.

Positive messages: The movie carries over the Vietnam-era social commentary from George A. Romero's 1973 original, which is that the military is just as bad as -- if not worse than -- the maniacal, homicidal "crazies." Wherever the heroes go, they must look out for both kinds of attackers. There are no suggestions for improving this situation. It could be argued that the heroes fighting for their lives and exhibiting compassion and love in the face of true horror is an admirable quality, but the overall theme of the movie trumps their efforts.
Positive role models: After a military experiment spreads a deadly virus around a small Iowa town, sheriff David Dutton, his wife Judy, the town doctor, and deputy Russell Clank show bravery and selflessness in the face of horror. They remain devoted to their duties as long as they can, and brave dangerous situations to rescue one another. When the time comes to run, they try to help as many other people as they can. Their optimism eventually runs low, but for the most part, they keep their chins up and work to overcome an impossible situation.
Violence: Horror imagery and violence abounds, though the most disturbing imagery comes in the piles upon piles of grisly, burned or otherwise mutilated corpses. One of the scariest sequences occurs in a military tent as men in hazard suits run weird medical tests and forcibly separate loved ones (including a mother from her child). Huge amount of gun violence, including shootings, killings, and threats. Also head-whacking with a blunt instrument, an attack with a bonesaw, stabbing with a pitchfork, a knife through a hand, an attacker set on fire, and bodies burned with a flamethrower.
Sex: No onscreen sex. The action focuses mainly on a married couple. The wife is pregnant and they occasionally kiss, hold hands, and touch each other in comfortable ways. A teenage girl has a secret boyfriend, but we only see them together in one scene, where they hug.
Language: There are many instances of both "s--t" and "f--k" with some uses of "Jesus Christ" and "Goddamn" as exclamations.
Consumerism:  The "Valvoline" logo is prevalent in one shot.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: One character is described as a drunk, but we never see him or anyone else drinking. No drugs or smoking.

More on The Crazies

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the violence in the film. Did the movie's high body count have a shocking or a numbing effect on you? Why or why not?
  • Which are worse, the "crazies" or the military men? Why? What message about the military do you think this movie sends? What role does the military play in our lives, past and present?
  • In the movie, there's no way to tell when someone first comes down with the virus. How far would you trust a friend or a family member in this situation? Talk about humanity's instinct to survive.
  • In the early scenes, Becca tells an outright lie to her boss so she can meet her boyfriend. Do you still sympathize with her after this? Why? Is it ever OK to lie?

What's the story?

What's the story?
In a sleepy small town in Iowa, a blank-faced man walks into the middle of a baseball game carrying a gun, and the local sheriff (Timothy Olyphant) is forced to shoot him. The sheriff's wife, the town doctor (Radha Mitchell) sees patients with similar behavior. It turns out that an experimental military virus has been set loose in the town, turning everyone into mindless, homicidal maniacs. Soon the military shows up, trying to contain the problem, but they cause as much violence and destruction -- if not more so -- than the "crazies." The sheriff, his wife, the deputy, and a teenage girl decide to flee across the county lines to safety, all the while fending off attacks from both sides, and risking contracting the virus themselves.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

A remake of George A. Romero's 1973 Vietnam-era movie, the new movie retains all the social commentary of the original, but streamlines it and smoothes it into a regular horror film. It cuts down on the many talking and bickering sequences in the original, and turns the military men into faceless, voiceless spooks who are more or less the equivalent of the "crazies." In a way, the new film is perhaps even more direct in getting Romero's anti-military message across.

Though the movie relies a bit too much on standard genre conventions like jump-scares, last-second rescues, and characters splitting up to search for things, it makes up for it with a high standard of acting, mainly by Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell as the married sheriff and doctor. Their realistic reactions to the horror around them are far more effective than any amount of shock imagery or bloody gore.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Overture Films
Director: Breck Eisner
Cast: Danielle Panabaker, Radha Mitchell, Timothy Olyphant
Genre: Horror
Run time: 101 minutes
Theatrical release: February 26, 2010
DVD release: June 28, 2010
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: for bloody violence and language
Watch our review

This review was written by Jeffrey M. Anderson
 
 

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What parents & educators say

14
Based on 8 parent & educator reviews:
  • 75% say violence is an issue
  • 75% say language is an issue

Most useful reviews by all members

Bestmom123
parent of and 4 , 8 , 10 , 15 , 18 year old
 
John's Review of The Crazies.
My 16 Year old John's Review Of The Crazies Every Friday night my girlfriend and I go to the movies or watch a movie at home. We saw the remake of The Crazies. I saw the old Crazies movie but when we saw the tv spot we had to see it and we did. The movie had some F words and S words. The movie was gory as The Texas chainsaw Massacre remake, The part when the guy put the house on fire was scary and sad. The pitchfork deaths were bloody but not too bloody. The ending was amazing and cool! My girlfriend and I loved this movie! It was scary and cool!

fangningsheng
teen, 14 years old
 
Gruesome and Creepy
This was an okay movie. It got boring at times, but was suspenseful enough to keep me interested. The acting was good, too. Expect gory, gruesome and sometimes disturbing violence that includes impalations on a pitch fork, many, many people being shot, a man stabbed in the hand, an infected woman stabbed in the neck (lots of blood in that scene) and even an attack with a bonesaw. There are lots of grisly images of mutilated corpses. If you are at all squeamish, skip this. Also expect some pretty strong language.

Chinagirl123
teen, 13 years old
 
Great movie very scary but in a good way
Luved the movie so suspense full kept you on the edge of your seat and was very scary but in a good way!!! A little scary for younger veiwers but overall great horror thriller movie about survival. I hated the ending though once you see it you will know why

gabclima
teen, 18 years old
 
Zombies...
Good Zombie movie!If you like zombie movie's you will love it

cristianorenal ...
teen, 15 years old
 
GOOD SCARY MOVIE IF YOU CAN WATCH SCARY MOVIES.IF YOU CAN HANDLE PARANORMAL ACTIVITY.

Plague
parent
 
The Crazies
Very violent, and very gorey. Kids will most likely be terrified by this movie, but parents and older teens will a good taste in horror will relish every minute of it.

 
a good remake, suspenseful, thrilling, entertaining.
3.5/5 David Dutten (Timothy Olyphant) is sheriff of Ogden Marsh, a picture-perfect American town with happy, law-abiding citizens. But one night, one of them comes to a school baseball game with a loaded shotgun, ready to kill. Another man burns down his own house...after locking his wife and young son in a closet inside. Within days, the town has transformed into a sickening asylum; people who days ago lived quiet, unremarkable lives have now become depraved, blood-thirsty killers, hiding in the darkness with guns and knives. Sheriff Dutten tries to make sense of what's happening as the horrific, nonsensical violence escalates. Something is infecting the citizens of Ogden Marsh...with insanity. Now complete anarchy reigns as one by one the townsfolk succumb to an unknown toxin and turn sadistically violent. In an effort to keep the madness contained, the government uses deadly force to close off all access and won't let anyone in or out - even those uninfected. The few still sane find themselves trapped: Sheriff Dutten; his pregnant wife, Judy (Radha Mitchell); Becca (Danielle Panabaker), an assistant at the medical center; and Russell (Joe Anderson), Dutten's deputy and right-hand man. Forced to band together, an ordinary night becomes a horrifying struggle for survival as they do their best to get out of town alive. well 71% Rotten Tomatoes rating, its pretty cool. still i thought it will be just another silly bad remake and a soulless dull and boring horror movie but, no, it turned out to be a very good movie. i am totally shocked about the fact that how good this movie is. i have not seen the original movie but this one was awsome. its one of the most entertaining movie of the year. right from the beginning it caught my attention and kept my interest till the end. very suspenseful and thrilling movie. it was scary too, not the psychopath people but the movie. i thought they will be zombies but no, the chemical stuff in water turns them to some psycho minded people that become very violent and start killing other people. you can't really tell about the acting performances in this kind of movie but everyone did a fine job, decent one. Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell looked good in there characters along with the other cast. i was not sure i'll watch this movie when it was released, but here i am after like 7 or 8 months i thought i'll give it a try because of the reviews, i wanted to watch this movie along with the others towards the end of the year. it wasn't that important but i was wrong. Direction was good, screenplay smartly written concerning this kind of movie, very interesting, entertaining, suspenseful and thrilling screenplay which will keep you going without getting bored even for a minute trust me on that. cinematography is good too, nice location. special effects are ok. decent looks and all. good styling. i enjoyed it and so will you.

aj345
kid, 13 years old
 
good movie
it was a good mavie pretty gorie but not that bad recomend it to beginners in horror

 
If I could, I would give it 2.5 stars
This was a very intense horror movie, with lots of bloody violence and terror. The ending was a little generic and the pace was actually too fast; we didn't get to know any of the central characters very well. But, it did have some good scares, particulalry (and surprisingly) the government takeover. The government actually, at times, seemed more scary than the infected humans. Families are seperated, people are tested and strapped down, only to be left to the infected humans. There's also riots, betrayal, and mass chaos. Parents: This is a very intense movie, probably too scary for your young kids or even teens. There's bloody violence and sometimes gore, chase sequences, and plenty of frustrated language. Bottom Line: Worth a look if you have time, but don't choose this over other great scary movies. Thanks for reading! - Movie Man

movieveiwer101
teen, 17 years old
 
Best horror movie ever.
I did love it. One of my favorite movies. I fell in love!

deadman13
teen, 13 years old
 
Great movie!
I love this movie. It is bloody. I like that. Alot of F words. It is good for ages 14+.

the green guy
teen, 14 years old
 
good movie only one really scary part
i watched it at 11:00pm and the only part that scared me was towards the end where theyre at the truck stop and thosethings come outta nowhere

xgame
parent of 3 and 9 year old
 
Crazy it is.
THE PLOT:The crazies is an horror movie about sheriff David,and his wife Judy.It all starts when David shoots a man with a gun in a baseball field.Then,a toxin from the army sets loose around town,turning citzens into lunatic 'crazies'.Now,David,Judy,Becca and Russel shall run to Cedar Rapids alive. ______________________________________________ CONTENT:THE GOODS MESSAGES:Role models are hard working and David protects his wife. 1 OUT OF 5 ______________________________________________ ROLE MODELS:The role models are OK.Russel threatens David. 1 OUT OF 5 ______________________________________________ CONTENT:THE BADS VIOLENCE:Strong gory violence including an attack with a pitchfork,a man shot and killed,a drill attack, trapped mother and child in a burned,many dead,gory corpses, an huge explosion,a dead woman strangled by a hose,a car crash,and a knife through the hand.And is all coated in bloody and gory results. 5 OUT OF 5 ______________________________________________LANGUEGE:More than 8 or 10 instances of f*ck and sh*t,and some of jesus christ and god*mn 4 OUT OF 5 ______________________________________________ SEX:No sex or nudity,but David and Judy kiss and hold hands. A character has a secret boyfriend. 1 OUT OF 5 ______________________________________________ DRUGS;A man is described drunk.An attacker is killed by a cigarette lighter. And nobody is shown using drugs. 0 OUT OF 5 ______________________________________________ OVERALL:Entrataining and exiting are 2 words to describe The Crazies.It may not be so scary,but overall ... .4 stars!! ______________________________________________ 4 OUT OF 5 OFF 14 - IFFY 15 - 17 ON 18 +

littlemonster98
teen, 13 years old
 
Greta movie, not innapropriate!!!
Should not be rated R

afdtyfsyfgey
parent of 10 year old
 
violent

HunterJumper13
teen, 15 years old
 
Amazin'!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this movie. Good acting, fast plot, and finally, a horror movie without sex! This is a movie that anyone can watch, as long as they're up to seeing mutants. The mutants aren't scary in my opinion, though the gore was done SO much better than in some movies. Not over done, not under done. Overall, a terrific movie

slasher23
teen, 16 years old
 
very violent.very strong language

 
the crazies is for older teens that can handle this kind of scary movie but this movie is not for your younger kids and parents you need to know that the crazies has a lot of intense violence filled with very disturbing images such as innocent people being shot and set on fire which can be hard to see and dead people laying in the hospital bed and there's also some strong language used.

Americanplaya217
teen, 18 years old
 
Perfect for Tweens

candyx.
teen, 13 years old
 
it could be better i have always loved this film ever since it came out. i dont think it should be age 16+ more like 15 +

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