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The Thing (1982)

Director: John Carpenter

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Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

In re-adapting the John W Campbell story (Who Goes There?) already filmed so superbly in 1951 as The Thing from Another World, Carpenter provides a punchy enough action thriller as the men of a lonely Antarctic research team are menaced by a shape-changing alien from outer space. But there comes a time when spectacular special effects - even by the estimable Rob Bottin - are just not enough. Carpenter avoids the subtle suspense of the earlier version - all the guessing and paranoia and wonder - in favour of a mindlessly macho monster mash which looks and feels just like an ineptly plotted remake of Alien, right down to the chest-bursting scene. Russell's sub-Eastwood heroics hardly compensate for the absence of all characterisation, while Bill Lancaster's script boasts the most illogical climax any monster movie ever had. It's only fair to add that, had this been made by anybody else, one might be recommending it for its special effects; but that's the price Carpenter pays for having made so much better movies.

Author: DP 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide