The best horror movie ever.

Rating: 10/10 (4 April 2000)

This is simply the most underrated horror movie ever. It is also the best.
When I think horror movie, The Thing is the first movie that comes to mind.
Horror movies in my mind are partly special effects. This movie is partly special effects, which is what all the critics couldn't get past. Horror movies to me are also mostly psychological. If the movie can hit and maintain that one disturbing note than it has worked. The Thing keeps that note vibrating through the whole movie. The intrigue and tone is set in the first five minutes.(Not the unnecessary opening titles) What a great way to start a movie and make the viewer think.
Yes this movie has incredible effects but they are all secondary to the story. This movie works on so many different levels you can't pigeon hole it because of it's special effects. The special effects are just what's on the surface. The movie works because of the story.
The Thing actually makes you think. It's kind of a twist on the who done it mystery.
Everything works perfectly. The simplistic heartbeat like score from Ennio Morricone. The isolated setting. The acting. The editing. The great cinematography.
Although each character isn't overtly developed, there is a lot of subtlety (something all too rare today) in each performance.
This is probably Kurt Russell's best performance. Not that he has a lot of dialogue. It's all in the facial expressions and what he doesn't say but rather communicates with body language. Like when he removes his hood in the climax.
Another key performance is Keith David's. Watch his fearful face when he is tied up. His performance in this has made me a fan of his work ever since.
Everyone is good in this movie.
Other than the effects nothing is thoroughly spelled out for you. It's up to you to figure out just what happened off screen. Something they also don't do anymore. Everything is now hammered into your head.
The scariest things are what your own mind comes up with when posed with a few facts and images. Sometimes it's scarier when you don't see the monster. This film really couldn't of done this with respect to the monster but it did make use of that concept elsewhere. Even though it's kinda like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It works better this time knowing what the monster's ghastly intentions and forms are. Instead of the "don't get caught "(sleeping or awake) mentality of Body Snatchers, The Thing's mentality is best summed up by the original story's title "Who goes there", which I recommend reading.
Great line from the movie.
"You gotta be **cking kidding."
Note: Buy this on DVD, it has got to be one of the most comprehensive and feature packed DVDS out there.