Review of The Thing (1982) by Jason V — 02 Jul 2013
Raked by critics and ignored by audiences upon release, this remake of 1951's Howard Hawks sci-fi classic plays up the psychological aspects of alien invasion and isolation, like an Antarctic-set 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'.
Kurt Russell is your typical Carpenter anti-hero, but he's supported by a wealth of great character actors in underwritten roles, allowing the cast -- as in the case of 'Alien' -- to come off seeming realistic.
In some ways, the biggest star here is Rob Bottin's go-for-broke creature FX, which repulsed initial audiences, but have become a standard even modern CGI can't fully supplant. The slow, palpable dread and despair this story unfolds has rarely been matched.
John Carpenter's best film.
This review of The Thing (1982) was written by Jason V on 02 Jul 2013.
The Thing has generally received very positive reviews.
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