The Crazieshas reachedthe #2 spot on the free streaming serviceTubi, bringing the 15-year-old remake starring Timothy Olyphant relevant once more.The film takes place in the fictional town of Ogden Marsh, Iowa, which becomes infected by a biological agent that turns those infected by it into insane killers. While not a conventional zombie film by any means, it still plays into many tropes associated with the genre and, if anything, is scarier given the more intelligent nature of those infected in this film.
The film is a remake of the 1973 film of the same name, written and directed by zombie icon and legendGeorge Romero. Unfortunately, the original film was considered a box office failure when it was first released in 1973 but has since been reexamined as a cult classic, thus leading to the remake in 2010, with Romero even serving as an executive producer for this updated version. Now, thanks to the streaming service Tubi, which offers a catalog of titles free with ads,The Crazieshas found new popularity.
Starring the likes of Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Joe Anderson, and Danielle Panabaker, the film is incredibly tense because of the small-town setting and the instant confinement that happens to the cast of characters. When looking atRomero’s filmography, it’s evident how much the writer and director wanted to make zombies more and more human-like.The Craziesis a culmination of that, with the infected in both the original and the remake,especially given the level of brutality that some of the infected in the film have with their kills.
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‘The Crazies’ is Especially Thematically Relevant Today
Besides the intense thrills and the great performance from Timothy Olyphant, there may be other reasons whyThe Crazieshas topped the Tubi charts with the no. 2 spot. Given the current social climate, the themes of government incompetence and corruption feel especially relevant. Even though the infected are the film’s main antagonists, the government and its attempt to control the virus through violence of their own makes them an overarching opposing force throughout the film, making the story even grimmer than it already is.
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The nihilism ofThe Craziesis one of the most significant driving forces of the film, especially with its grim ending that suggests the infection will eventually become widespread due to lack of containment. The film made$54 million against a $20 million budget, so while not a failure, there was no indication that a sequel would ever happen. Nonetheless, the unconventional zombie film has stood the test of time if its popularity on streaming is any indication.
The zombie genre is still as relevant as ever, with28 Years Later, a sequel to28 Days Later, being one of the most anticipated releases of 2025. AlthoughThe Craziesnever had a follow-up, its inspired take on infected people and dark sociopolitical commentary have remained a constant trend in zombie films and have become a staple of more highly regarded movies and television shows in the genre. The fact that the film is available to stream for free on Tubi is more than enough reason to give it a watch.
The Crazies
