Review of The Thing (1982) by Nathan C — 23 Jul 2017

Now this is what I call a horror classic! Gripping, suspenseful, and imaginative, this is one INTENSE exercise in gut-wrenching, old-fashioned sci-fi horror.

Its structure (something is found under the ice, and there's a creature somewhere in all this) may seem basic but, thanks to some great direction with this set-up, it provokes thought, enhancing its terror. Much of why this movie works is due to the well-done characterization and good performances (especially by Kurt Russell and Keith David) that are delivered as all the characters are induced with paranoia and even turned against eachother. The special effects/make-up that's being displayed is quite an extravaganza, with some nightmarishly inventive creature designs. This movie has some insanely scary moments! A horror fan is going to have a field day with this movie. John Carpenter makes sure this movie is efficiently made, which is always one of his greater strenghths, and it shows. He slows down the pace to build up the tension. He, along with Ennio Morricone, delivers a pulse-pounding score to go along with it. And he opts for ambience, while adding loads of detail to the narrative, to build up to quite a bang.

The only flaws in this movie I can think of is that none of the characters, other than Russell's, David's, and Brimley's, are really all that memorable, and that the movie ends with a lack of resolution. Then again, this movie is pretty darned bleak.

I don't like very many horror movies, but I can unabashedly say that I loved "The Thing"! It's one of the best, up there with "Halloween" and "Alien".