Carpenter At His Best

Rating: 8/10 (4 November 1999)

Carpenter's remake is one of the most underrated horror films of all time. It's well directed, with creepy music and bleak settings giving the viewer a strong sense of the isolation these characters are feeling. It's genuinely suspenseful, with excellent special effects. Kurt Russel and Keith David are solid heroes, and the whole film moves quickly and efficiently towards a great ending. (Only the abrupt final showdown leaves something to be desired)
The "blood test" and "crawling head" scenes are the highlights. Genuine shocks and knockout effects.
I was surprised to discover that this film apparently bombed when it came out. (I was 11, and remember wanting to see it) Since good horror films are so few and far between, I can't believe people didn't respond well to it. Glad to see that now it's getting the respect it deserves.
8 out of ten. One of JC's best.