Icy sci-fi film reeking of atmosphere.

Rating: Null/10 (23 July 2018)

John Carpenter's The Thing is such an atmospheric film that even now three decades on it feels as though it was shot last night. It's a remake of a 1950s film and one of the few examples of the remake being better than the original. The plot concerns an American team stationed in Antarctica that suddenly find an alien creature that imitates other life among their midst. One by one this alien entity starts devouring the team. Kurt Russell is in sublime form as Macready the station helicopter pilot and the only one with balls and a rational outlook. This is not just a science fiction film but a character study of humans, done so very subtly. Carpenter is a filmmaker magician and The Thing is one of bis finest tricks.