The Crazies

George A. Romero produced this update of his own 1973 social satire horror flick, and his guiding influence as a master of the genre shows. Timothy Dutton is convincing as small town Sheriff David Dutton, whose pregnant wife Judy (Radha Mitchell) works as a doctor in their once happy community. What seems like a spree of murder-suicides among its zombie-turning citizens is revealed to be caused by an accident with a biological weapon designed by the government. Carefully placed satellite-view imagery hints at unseen military officials orchestrating a genocidal attack on the area that traps David and Judy, along with deputy Russell (Joe Anderson) and medical assistant Becca (Daniell Penabaker, between military violence and the bloodthirsty zombies. Director Breck Eisner ("Sahara") compresses the suspense into tightly edited set pieces that balance thematic import with shocks of gory confrontation. While not on a par with "Night of the Living Dead," "The Crazies" hits the zombie on the head with good reason.

(Overture Films) Rated R. 101 mins. (B) (Three Stars - out of 5/no halves)