Ratings: 4/5

Comments: Underrated, Underpromoted but A Good Film

Directed by George A Romero (think “Dawn of The Dead”), “The Crazies” is a grim movie depicting a government conspiracy to wipe out a population to contain deadly virus, sans Zombies. Starring Will McMillan (as Firefighter David) and Lane Carroll (as David’s pregnant wife Judy), the movie is set in a normal small town in Pennyslvania who has a population of only 1,200+. A quiet, remote town that will be reduced to cinders in days nonetheless as a plane that carries a dangerous biological weapon virus crashes in their water dam and horrific virus outbreak occurs. People starts to act weird and kill each other and before long, masked army sweeps in and merrily eliminate anyone who is suspected of contacting the virus. Things got really interesting when Judy got separated with David forcefully, and David later try to get Judy back from the insulated camp.

While you heard or read about how genocides happened in not such a long time ago, you have not seen the mass of bodies piled up right in front of your eyes with buzzing flies. While you barely grasps the idea of genocide, you will find people murdering others for a bit of sport. While you know that you are small in the greater aspect of universe, this movie will show you how infinitesimal you are in the eyes of government bodies and at what great length they are willing to go to ensure that the biological-weapon-class-virus is contained and do not spread to the population. Nevermind that they are the ones who produced it at first place.

This movie will keep you rooted in your seat for most of the time and jumped when the unexpected occured. Best to watch it with a person whom you can cling to or scratch when things got scary.

*All in all, I think Director George did a great job in depicting both the degration and upholding of humanity in such circumstances, even though the whole government-conspiracy theory is not a fresh movie plot. It is very touching to watch how much David loves his wife Judy, how he fights for her, how he respects her wishes, and yet always the man in charge. If only all heterosexual men in this world are like that, there will be world peace.

**The poster did not do the film any justice. The picture is nice, yes, but the pitchfork with a trail of blood show no relevancy to the content of the film and did nothing to promote the film.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Yet another one-man-show hero upholding Christianity faith and all that is good, while systematically disposing criminals and opposing all that is not good, in a post-apocalypse world movie.

Always my favourite, Denzel Washington did not disappoint as a lonely rugged fighter who managed to trek across US for 30 years no matter how harsh the conditions (I mean c’mon, this is a guy who can sit unmoving with a crossbow ready for god knows how long, in a air so thick with ashes that one had to wear oxygen mask, in order to catch a cat who is going to die of famine anyway — for a meal); unflinching in the face of evil; with superb figthing and sensory skills; has a soft spot for the female population; and blind. Yep. Blind.

Geographical technicality aside, the cinematography is good and very convincing (love the ruined and dirty look). But the movie as a whole fails to inspire and the plot lacks some real depth.

Several minutes into the movie, you will find that Eli (Denzel Washington) found shelter in a dilapidated house and happily roasting the cat away as dinner. The whole Eli-listening-to-iPod-and-relaxing scene serves no purpose, is boring and most of all, strikes me as nothing but a not so subtle movie product placement gig.

It is hard to believe that 30 years after the devastation there are no better infrastructure or technology (remember the iPod?) or hygiene facilities (Eli can smell the highway robbers miles away. Talk about very enhanced senses) in place, since there are human all around. It would seemed that time, and the brain faculty which makes human innovate, stopped altogether. But you will see at the end of the movie that this is not so. That at the other end of the beautiful reflecting water (and it’s not such an impassable dangerous huge expanse of water), there is a bubbling civilization and nicely decorated buildings and order and cleanly clothed human beings with manners and best of all – no Bible.

Is the director trying to imply that human civilization could very well go on and prosper without Bible? Actually, I think that monotheists religions are the root of all evil since the weak human minds cannot fully comprehend the meaning of it all. Ok, I digress. Let’s get back to the shredding the movie.

Solara. I believed the whole reason for the existence of this character is to provide some eye candy for the movie goers so they won’t be bored to death. And to provide a ‘conclusive’ ending where you see her taking up Eli’s gears and walked back to her hometown. To serve what purpose, I don’t know. I don’t even know if she could wield a kitchen knife, let alone that nasty blade of Eli’s. In any case it will definitely not be preaching, since she can’t read and it didn’t seem Eli had time to teach her between translating the Bible and dying.

Now the evil incarnate here is Carnegie (Gary Oldman), who, to my opinion, ain’t really THAT evil. He found and shared the water springs with all, kept shaky peace with his own team of armed enforcement, provided entertainment and has therefore successfully kept the livelihood of the villagers. Admittedly, he charged a king’s ransom for water but hey, it’s a scarce commodity after all. Tell me, which big private corporations and corrupt governments do not extort the ordinary living people to fatten their own purses? And if we can accept these organizations in our daily life now, what makes Carnegie so evil then?

Is he considered the evil of all evil ‘cos he took a blind woman as wife? Or ‘cos he forced the young girl Solara to seduce Eli to stay? Or ‘cos he actually has the nerves to employ illiterate rascals to find the Bible? Or ‘cos he wanted Bible for his own kingdom expansion and not to preach?

Frankly, I cannot imagine any reasons why he would want Bible. The reason Carnegie gave in his little speech didn’t make any sense. He already had this community and power thing going on smoothly; and with the impressive stocks of ammunition he got on hand (look at the almost flippant way he used the ammo to bring down an old wooden house), he could easily beat others into submission or pulp. Why on earth does he need Bible for?

Since we are on the topic of Bible and all things holy, throughout the movie I did not see Eli trying to preach peace and love to anyone before he chopped them all up into pieces at the sign of slightest transgression. Nor did I see him helping the poor travelling couple when they were attacked by the robbers, in fact, he was trying his best to ignore them. And beating the robber into a pulp later is not going to resurrect the dead. Nor did I see him teaching verses and graces to anyone except Solara, and that’s probably on a whim.

As a staunch believer of God, how could he passed the whole continent of America and not preach a word of God to anyone in these 30 years? Are the literate and prosperous ‘West’ people more deserving to have copies of Bible, and not the suffering stinking people on the other side of the water?

As a holy man of God, HOW, how could he KILL? Even if faced with monstrosity, shouldn’t he try to make peace before doing any irreparable damage? Killing is the worst abhorrence of all and it will never ever be in line with any message of love and peace!

I consider this movie lousy with dubious intentions. And if not for the stellar performance of Denzel, it will be a  total flop.

I will end with this: Any religion scripture in itself has no power, and it does not automatically provide a door to heaven to anyone who merely read it with no action taken. To take a book half way around the world; selfishly keep it to himself; do not provide help to anyone; do not preach; and killing did not make the person a saint.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Last year, Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno – a Malay Muslim lady who was caught drinking beer in a nightclub – was sentenced to six strokes of the cane by the almighty Shariah Court, a parellel legal system that applies to Muslim only.

You must have known that this sparked international interest and serious concern over human rights in Malaysia then.

Before the previous wave died down and while we are all busy celebrating the new lunar year, came another shocking news that three women were caned for participating in illicit sex. Of course this news refreshed the international concern over Malaysia, albeit for all the wrong reasons!

You can read more in: MSNNine, CNN, and now this issue even has its own page in Wikipedia.

If you are a non-Muslim female who lives in Malaysia like myself, your first reaction will be to let out a sigh of relief as you are not subjected to this inane draconian law!

Then, you will feel sorry for the fellow females who were but 1 side of a party committing this ‘SIN’. Then, you will feel OUTRAGED.

Does having sex before marriage really warrant caning? What about those THE MEN whom without them, the intercourse will not happened? Why they didn’t mete out the same punishment to these assholes? Why so bias?

And how many stroke of canes are given to thore rapists, which in Malaysia common law is the one of the few things that warrant caning? Is having illicit sex comparable to raping?

What about corruption, misuse of public funds, fanning racial hatred, murder, and all those far more sinful acts? Do they get caned? They should be caned!

And oh, by the way, gay/lesbian act is also punishable by Shariah Law. Most vividly displayed by the headline grabbing DS Anwar Ibrahim Sodomy II trial case. Also, the hospital/clinic will refuse to let you do Pap Smear if you are not married. PLEASE LAH, who is still virgin nowadays after the age of 21?

It is a sad state for Malaysia women.

Related news from the edge:

What Hisshammudin said:  http://bit.ly/bz7Rx4

What Muhyiddin said: http://bit.ly/cLpU6j

Popularity: 19% [?]

It was night. I was sitting in JC’s CRV’s passenger side and was happily joking with him. We were stopping at the middle lane and were waiting for the lights to turn green so we could go home.

Now on the left hand side of the tar road about 30 seconds walking distance away, there was an old auntie walking with little steps and was making funny little noises through her noses regularly “E.. E… E…”. I saw the auntie from the corner of my eyes but wasn’t paying attention.

Then I folded my hands, lowered my eyes and bent down on my knees while laughing at something JC said.

Next thing I know, my car door is opened forcefully and the auntie actually grabbed my black shiny Charles & Keith bag! JC grabbed the other side of the bag.

Then JC screamed: “What are you doing Pagan! HELP!”

But I couldn’t do anything! I couldn’t sit up, I couldn’t raised my eyes, I couldn’t even make my fingers moved!! I could only feel the tug-a-war going on in front of my forehead (remember I was bending down) and was helpless to do anything. And all this while the funny E E E sounds kept coming out from that old auntie’s mouth…

When I finally managed to lift one of my fingers using my superpower supernatural willpower, I woke up.

It was 1.37am.

And I didn’t even get to see the old auntie’s face…

Popularity: unranked [?]

Popularity: 7% [?]