Carpenter's best

Rating: 10/10 (8 May 2006)

This movie is Carpenter's "ten". He nailed the special effects, but more importantly the lonely, isolated characters, already on the verge of a blowup before the "thing" shows up.
The pacing is so well done you don't realize you're being led around by a master. Although The Fog, Precinct 13, and Halloween 1 are super, The Thing is the REAL DEAL.
The cast is typical Carpenter: TV actors (Wilford Brimley), or second chance actors, or one-note deadpan actors (Kurt Russell), and they all do the job necessary to not distract from the suspense. Because suspense is key here and it does not let up.