"The Crazies" review

The Crazies (1973)

Directed by George A. Romero
Writing credits Paul McCollough George A. Romero

Lane Carroll .... Judy
Will MacMillan .... David (as W.G. McMillan)
Harold Wayne Jones .... Clank
Lloyd Hollar .... Colonel Peckem
Lynn Lowry .... Kathy Bolman

A virus gets released into the water supply of a small town. The army seals off the town in order to stop the outbreak. "Trixie" the virus drives people insane. The townspeople become "The Crazies". Or is the military "The Crazies"? Am I crazy for buying this DVD?

"The Crazies" is a well made film. Unfortunately, it is far too ambitious for its budget. It wanted it all: Nuclear weapons, town quarantine, army divisions, mass riots, and general craziness all on a shoestring budget. It was cheap and it showed. It tried its best but in the end it was unsatisfying. It's the kind of flick where if a helicopter goes down, you'll see it fly out of sight and then a puff of smoke will rise to simulate a crash landing. It had a few decent gore effects but not enough to save it.

But what really disappointed me about this movie was how not crazy "The Crazies" were. If everyone affected by the virus had become a homicidal maniac then I might have been satisfied. But the virus affected people in different ways. Very lame ways. Take Lynn Lowry's character. When the crazy virus attacked her, it released her inner flower child. She wasn't really crazy. It was more like she was high. She should have been lunging for the army men's throats; not skipping along the grass to her doom.

"The Crazies" is a well directed thriller but too cheap and too tame to be really worthwhile. It needed an injection of cash and carnage.

SCORE: 2 out of 4 crazies killing crazies