I just fancied going to the pics last night, and there was a selection of middlebrow genre films like Legion and Case 39 and Solomon Kane. I chose The Crazies just because the Sheriff is played by Timothy Olyphant, the Deadwood sheriff.
Anyway, this is a competent, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin zombie film. The journey of each individual from normal to crazy is a little slower and less homogenous than typical in such a film, more affected by individual personality (NB this being a positive thing). It's scary but not overly upsetting, not over-long, and it kept me interested and jumpy right through.
Olyphant was a competent lead. I think he has potential to give more than this, but I am not sure that he will ever be given a platform as good as Deadwood. He was wasted in Die Hard 4. There are two things he did here and in Deadwood, that are a bit more than by-numbers lead acting, and I think a good director would bring these out. One is a sort of deadpan humour, in the middle of a really bad situation. 'The town caught fire again sheriff!' His face doesn't change but he gives off a vibe like Marge Simpson growling. Made me laugh anyway.
The other thing he does well, and this also is from Deadwood, is the 'No more mister nice guy' moment. I know the good man pushed too far is the central action movie cliche, but I just think he changes particularly grimly and dramatically, and makes the cliche interesting again.
Anyway, these are good cards, whether they can be made into a stellar career I don't know.