Great Film Thrills

Rating: 10/10 (28 August 2002)

I've seen this film about 3 times since I first viewed it at a drive-in back in 1982. Although I don't find The Thing to be as scary as many who have provided their reviews here, the film is an excellent sci-fi thriller. If you want scary, rent the original Psycho by Hitchcock.

Carpenter made his masterpiece with this movie. All the other films he has done have disappointed me on some level, but not this one. The Thing has just the right amount of humour mixed with intensity that I prefer and enjoy. Carpenter's other films usually have a campy quality that is hard to sit through. The Thing has a few holes in the idea that could have been clarified a little more.
**Possible Spoilers** For instance, when the Thing imitates a human does the person's memory and personality become altered or obliterated. None of the characters ever brought this up which kind of boggled my mind. Also the proliferation of dynamite and flame throwers at the camp was a bit much. It looks like they were geared up for some kind of alien invasion (maybe Saddam of the South).
All in all though, this is a great film which I give a rating of 10 to because of the great direction, music and special effects.