One of the best of its type

Rating: 9/10 (8 March 2006)

The Thing must be considered one the best within the genre of Sci-Fi horror movies, together with the first two of the Alien films. Set in Antarctica it captures the atmosphere of isolation, eerie feeling of fear and terror of the unknown. Together with terrific special effects (the head sprouting legs and scuttling away must rank amongst the greatest scenes in the annals of Sci-Fi horror), and good acting by the principal actors, it is one the most memorable of films. I was somewhat shocked and disturbed by the film when I first saw it, and the feeling of unease lingered in the mind for some time.
The final scene is also one of the most interesting in the film, it leaves the story perhaps unfinished and in the viewer a deep sense of unresolved tension and unsettled fear.
I probably would have given it a 9 or 10 for its sheer brilliance, but viewing it again many years later the shock factor has somewhat diminished, perhaps lowering unfairly the appreciation of the film. Hence the slightly lower vote although it probably deserves more, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who haven't seen it before.
(vote amended to give a 9, it does deserve it on second thought.)