Rating
Summary
John Carpenter’s The Thing really is a stunning movie with excellent performances and nail biting tension from beginning to end.
Plot: Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills.
Review: Kurt Russell and Keith David star in this classic action/horror flick from John Carpenter. It’s a remake of The Thing from Another World and is arguably the superior film, proof that not all remakes suck.
It’s been a while since Carpenter has made a truly great film, but watching this movie reminds you just what a talented director he can be.
Carpenter weaves the tension together perfectly and as all these men (who initially all get on well) descend into chaos and mistrust, you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat.
As this alien creature takes the form of anyone it chooses, you don’t know who can be trusted and very soon your best friend becomes your worst enemy.
I think this movie is actually pretty flawless; all of the performances are first rate and this was Keith David’s first major role and made him a household name. Russell has a pretty epic beard in it too but still manages to be one of the coolest men alive. He can play any kind of character and you believe it, which shows what a versatile actor he is.
Ennio Morricone provides a perfect, minimalistic score which to this day is copied and referenced. It’s essentially just two notes, made to sound like a heartbeat and it works nicely in building up that tension.
The entire movie has this air of dread and foreboding especially with the lone dog in the snow at the beginning which just feels creepy.
The special effects are still jaw dropping and disturbing to this day, looking better than anything CGI could ever create.
The first half of the movie is a slow build as we get to know the characters and see them slowly turn on each other. The scene with the blood test is an exercise in tension and is arguably my favourite scene.
Overall, John Carpenter’s The Thing really is a stunning movie with excellent performances and nail biting tension from beginning to end.