A crazy idea for a remake

Where does the savage side of human nature end and psychosis begin? A movie like “The Crazies,” based on the 1973 George Romero movie of the same name, would ideally explore this conundrum, but it instead serves up standard horror movie fare.

David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant) and his wife Judy (Radha Mitchell) are going about their business as the town sheriff and town doctor, respectively, in an Iowa farming community when citizens start exhibiting bizarre and violent behavior. It doesn’t take the curious sheriff long to discover a government-constructed virus is the culprit. 

After a first half that laid on thick the eerie imagery and heart-stopping suspense — including a truly terrifying car wash ambush — “The Crazies” devolved into a run-of-the-mill gore-fest, with zombie killing and government ineptitude galore. 

While the original was certainly not one of his masterpieces, Romero had a way of subtly weaving a social critique into his movies that this new attempt lacks. Bludgeoning audiences over the head with visions of paramilitary-style citizen roundups and piles of dead bodies is not edgy.