6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.3 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.3 |
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.
Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Joe Anderson (VI), Danielle Panabaker, Christie Lynn SmithHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 98% |
Sci-Fi | 2% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: LPCM 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy (on disc)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
This town is dead and it's not coming back.
In some corners, The Crazies would be referred to as a depiction of a "SHTF" situation,
meaning that something's gone terribly wrong -- society has broken down; few can be trusted;
danger lurks around every corner; guns, ammunition, and water become cherished commodities;
and only those with either a lot of luck or skilled in survival techniques are likely to make it
through the event alive. It's become a popular sub-genre in recent years, with films like 28 Days Later, 2012, I Am Legend, and the
remake of Zombie Maestro
George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead
charging into theaters and engrossing audiences with depictions of civilizations on the brink. The
same concept holds true with The Crazies. It, too, is a remake of a Romero movie of
the same name; his version of The Crazies is probably his best-known film outside of
anything with "...of the Dead" in the title. Slick, intense, fairly predictable, but loads of fun, this
modern-day retelling of The Crazies proves itself to be a rare creature; it's a worthy
remake
that's arguably superior to the original and, if nothing else, it makes for a very good time at the
movies.
After 'The Crazies,' the government decided that pitchfork buyers would have to pass a background check.
The Crazies arrives on Blu-ray with a strongly-realized 1080p, 2.40:1-framed transfer. Although this transfer doesn't really stand out from the pack of near-reference quality images, it's gorgeous through and through, just not to an extent that it dazzles beyond the expected level of brilliance for a new release 1080p Blu-ray. The image is wonderful in all the right places; detail excels throughout the movie, from seams and stitches in clothing to the visible wear on various firearms. Facial textures look slightly flat in places, but the image appears glossy by nature; it's certainly not a rough-and-tumble type, and the picture's grain structure is decidedly minimal with only a few scenes exhibiting a thick-by-comparison veneer. Colors are stable, appearing neither excessively dull nor unnaturally vibrant, and flesh tones retain a pleasantly neutral shade. The image is sharp and crisp, not all that perceptibly deep, but it is free of any dirt or debris. Likewise, banding and blocking are absent, though very slight aliasing is visible on some of the large silver silos seen throughout the movie. Blacks are fantastic, some of the finest around, perfectly dark and nicely displayed, and never appearing too bright or crushing out details that should be visible in-frame. The Crazies looks great through-and-through; it's not a show-stopper, but videophiles should be very pleased with latest effort from Starz/Anchor Bay/Overture.
The Crazies infects Blu-ray with a fantastic PCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack. The picture's opening flash-forward shot features a full-fledged surround presentation, and such aggressive elements carry on through the remainder of the movie. The following baseball scene features light crowd noise spilling from every speaker with a subtle but nicely-enveloping and realistic flair that one might expect of a small-town game with but dozens of fans in attendance. There's an almost seamless sense of space to the track; it's never cramped as sounds flow to every corner of the soundstage and reinforce the movie's music, atmosphere, and action effects. The track excels in its delivery of minor ambience; later outdoor scenes come alive with the small but critically-important sounds of nature that immerse the listener into the environments, but for as good as the track is in this area, its more action-oriented elements prove to be the bread-and-butter of The Crazies' sonic experience. Bass is impeccably deep and tight; a few explosions in the film powerfully -- and literally -- rock the soundstage with an impressive amount of authority. Gunshots are suitably clear and each is accompanied by a good deal of power, with shotgun blasts in particular sending a devastating percussion through the listening area. On the downside, a sequence inside a working car wash isn't quite as convincing as one might hope, but there's otherwise little room for complaint with this track. Listeners with quality sound systems will be amazed at how much like a high-quality movie theater listen this one delivers. The Crazies is another strong sonic offering of a new release film from Overture Films.
The Crazies arrives on Blu-ray with a wide assortment of extras, the collection headlined by
an audio commentary track with Director Breck Eisner. Eisner delivers a highly listenable,
well-spoken, and insightful commentary track that fans should enjoy; he speaks on the history of
the project, his desire to tell the story from the perspective of the town's survivors, the project's
journey from studio to studio, shooting on a tight budget, the portrayal of the military in the film,
the complexities of life and how they are reflected in the film, the work of the actors, the
implementation of special effects, shooting locations, and plenty more. Behind the Scenes with
Director Breck Eisner (1080p, 10:35) actually features not only the director, but several
additional cast and crew speaking on the
picture's themes, the making of the movie, the work of Director Breck Eisner and the primary cast,
the challenges of the shoot, and crafting the special effects. Next is Paranormal Pandemics
(1080p, 9:41), a piece that takes a closer look at the film's makeup effects and the importance of
keeping them
grounded in some semblance of reality.
The George A. Romero Template (1080p, 9:56) features several Horror gurus and several
The
Crazies cast and crew reflecting on Romero's career. Make-Up Mastermind: Rob Hall in
Action (1080p, 11:27) takes viewers behind-the-scenes of the picture's extensive makeup
effects. Next up are episodes one (14:40) and two (12:44) of 'The Crazies' Motion Comic
(1080p). Visual Effects in Motion (1080p, 3:42) showcases several special effects-laden
scenes in various stages of completion. Storyboards: Building a Scene (1080p) is a
compilation of hand-drawn storyboards for one of the film's crucial scenes. Also included is a
behind-the-scenes photo gallery (1080p); The Crazies' teaser (1080p,
0:42) and theatrical (1080p, 2:32 & 2:00) trailers; a
trailer
for The Crazies Motion Comic (1080p, 2:23); and additional 1080p trailers for Brooklyn's Finest,
"Spartacus: Blood and Sand,"
Pandorum, Law Abiding Citizen,
and
The Ultimate Fighting
Championships. Disc two of this set contains a digital copy of The Crazies, and in a
rare move for a
Starz/Anchor Bay title, it's iTunes/Mac compatible. Sampled on a Gen-2 iPod Touch, the picture
quality is pleasantly stable with good detailing and colors, though it does suffer from some
intermittent and occasionally heavy blocking. The sound is suitably rich and nicely spaced between
the two channels with
relatively strong sound effects, though dialogue is fairly tinny.
The Crazies is a rare breed: it's a remake that works and a movie that's absent any real originality, but one that still delivers a tense and exciting experience. It's craftily-directed, slick, and fast-paced; the acting is strong; the action is well-staged; and most importantly for a Survival/Action/Horror picture, The Crazies is just a blast to watch. Eisner's film lacks the social commentary and raw, gritty tone of Romero's picture, but it excels past that film with a smoother fit and finish, more action, and superior special effects. Those tired of and worn out by lesser remakes should give The Crazies a try; it's better than most. Starz/Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of The Crazies serves up a superior technical presentation while featuring a quality assortment of extras. Highly recommended.
2007
2007
2002
Collector's Edition | + Theatrical Cut on BD
2004
2007
[•REC]⁴: Apocalypse / [•REC]⁴: Apocalipsis
2014
2008
Grindhouse Presents Planet Terror | Extended and Unrated
2007
Collector's Edition
1985
2015
2008
2018
2017
1971
2020
2012
Collector's Edition
1978
Unrated
2005
2011
2016