The Thing

Yes, it is derivative, but in a year in which films from the 1980s are getting needless remakes seemingly every other week, this one stands out as a rare one that works. That's a good "Thing." more

While I wish van Heijningen's Thing weren't quite so in lust with the '82 model, it works because it respects that basic premise. And it exhibits a little patience, doling out its ickiest, nastiest moments in ways that make them stick. more

It's a solid, entertaining monster movie that, at its best, recalls not only its three decades-old namesake but Alien as well. more

I'm delighted to tell you that the new Thing was made by people who understand what the horror audience wants and don't treat it like a bunch of brain-dead children. Mirabile freakin' dictu. more

A solid sci-fi/horror hybrid, but this iceman doesn't deliver enough to chew on. more

It's no great thing, just a better Thing than expected. more

The basic story is identical, and when there are fraught, climactic opportunities for the movie to make a gutsy departure, it passes up the chance. more

This version of The Thing, directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., provides such graphic and detailed views of the creature that we are essentially reduced to looking at special effects, and being aware that we are. Think how little you ever really saw in the first "Alien" movie, and how frightening it was. more

As written by Eric Heisserer (Final Destination 5), the new Thing lacks much wit or self-awareness. It's more of a "final girl" formula film, but on ice. Still, why did it take 29 years to create this solid double-feature? And will they unfreeze Russell for a trilogy? more

These filmmakers got halfway there, but Carpenter's genius was about more than just a look. more

"You think that thing wanted to be an animal? No dogs make it a thousand miles through the cold! No, you don't understand! That thing wanted to be US!" I'm definitely going to see the upcoming prequel of The Thing (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, 'nuff said) so I thought that it would be wise to see the 80's remake (the original movie came out in the 50's) before hand. And I'm glad I did. It may be a little dated by today's standards, but it's still a solid exercise in paranoia-fueled monster movies. An isolated Antarctic research station on the cusp of polar winter becomes a battleground for a... more

One of my favorites. John Carpenter and Kurt Russell at their best. The plot is executed perfectly and there is a great combination of suspense, action and chills. Not only is it a great sci-fi and horror, but one of the best movies of it's generation. Kurt Russel gives another great performance as MacReady, a believable hero who doesn't show compassion for even his friends. What I love about it the most is the isolation factor. It's such a baron landscape and it feels like you're completely alone. Even if you escape the enemy, there's still the cold. more

One of the best horror films ever made, tons better than the original! Full of unlikely characters and old school special effects that have yet to be bettered. The head/spider scene and the tied to a bench scene are two of the best in the genres. 'You gotta be fucking kidding' - Love it! more

Wow, this movie is really something special. Who knew that Ant/Arctic Horror could be such a fruitful genre? If I had seen it when I was younger, it would have given me nightmares for weeks. Even now, after all the horror films I've seen, this one gave me genuine chills. The scene that came to mind was the one where the infected dog was put into the kennel with the healthy dogs. It never completely lies down and that ready-to-spring pose really put me on edge. I also think that the characters in this film are really well-drawn and believable, which makes it quite harrowing when they start... more

"How will we make it? - Maybe we shouldn't." The film is a remake of "The Thing from Another World" from 1951. A remake you say? You know my opinion of remakes but well, I've never seen the original so... John Carpenter's "The Thing" is a perfect horror movie. From the first scenes when Ennio Morricone's score begins, the film takes me to a state of mind I don't usually feel. Claustrofobia. Paranoia. Fear. "The Thing" is wonderfully paced. The story never loses its touch and keeps the viewer on alert through the entire movie. The acting is on a very high level. Kurt Russell, who has made... more

MacReady: I know I'm human. And if you were all these things, then you'd just attack me right now, so some of you are still human. This thing doesn't want to show itself, it wants to hide inside an imitation. It'll fight if it has to, but it's vulnerable out in the open. If it takes us over, then it has no more enemies, nobody left to kill it. And then it's won. A Carpenter horror movie with lots of cool gore effects that have aged well and a running theme involving paranoia. Garry: I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of... more