Review of The Stuff (1985) by Charlie M — 03 Nov 2014
A yogurt-like substance bubbles out of the ground with plans for world domination....a hot new dessert product is sweeping the nation, but how can a 0 calorie treat taste so good?...A corporate saboteur & a young boy become suspicious and uncover a dark conspiracy behind America's obsession....
As the Blob was to the 1950's Red Scare, The Stuff is to 1980's consumerism. This movie has a great concept and is filled with wonderful commercials & marketing that really defines the era, but that's about it. The lead character is so blasé in tense moments that the movie itself becomes innocuous. Thus the "jump" moments are horrific, without being particularly scary.
The movie has a great throughline about questioning what we put in our body and not to always listen to higher authorities. These are still common themes today, but now more mainstream thanks to the internet. This might be a great horror movie for an 8-year old to watch for all the above reasons. The films strength is corporate-America conspiracy theories, but ultimately John Carpenter's They Live did it better.
This review of The Stuff (1985) was written by Charlie M on 03 Nov 2014.
The Stuff has generally received mixed reviews.
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