Product: The Blob (1988)
Rating: 4.0
A remake that is actually BETTER than the original!!!!
This movie really shocked me by how good it was. I recently re-watched the original Blob movie starring Steve McQueen and was surprised by how hokey it was. Sure it was made on a shoestring budget back in the 50's, but I remembered seeing it as a kid and thinking it was amazing. I then re-watched the remake and was pleasantly surprised by how well it held up. The effects are a little dated and some of the plot points are sort of goofy, but it's still a solid flick. I can name maybe a handful of remake/reboots that manage to even be on the same level let alone surpass the original. This movie is up near the top of that list.The story is almost the same as the original. Meteorite lands in small town, man eating alien goo oozes out of said meteorite, several people wind up being devoured by rampaging goo, band of teenagers try to organize townsfolk to fight back against alien menace. There is one notable exception though. There is an explanation about what the Blob really is. Sometimes over explaining a monster takes away from the scare factor, but this time it worked well in the context of the story. It opened a new avenue for the story to go in and essentially created way more hapless victims for the ravenous slime to consume.The 1988 version of the Blob also breaks several horror movie rules. Little kids get eaten, priests get their faces melted, and it's not the wholesome all American high school quarterback who saves the day but the dirtbag juvenile delinquent that nobody even likes . One other thing that really makes the new Blob a great horror movie is that you actually get to see the Blob kill people, and it is a messy thing to behold. The special effects are still amazingly good for an 80's era movie. Some of the green screen shots are a little goofy looking, but you'll barely notice. Along with the impressive effects are some solid performances by the lovely Shawnee Smith who later went on to star in the Saw movies and Kevin Dillon who went on to become Johnny Drama on Entourage. Both lend believability to their roles and have strong character arcs throughout the film.If you're curious about the Blob movies and haven't seen them yet, I'd suggest seeing the remake first and if you like it check out the 50's classic to see where it all started.