The Thing

1982

1h 49m

IMDb RATING

8.1/10

7.6K

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Horror

Mystery

Science Fiction

A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.

Directors

John Carpenter

Writers

Bill Lancaster(screenplay by)

John W. Campbell Jr.(novel by)

Stars

Kurt Russell

Keith David

Wilford Brimley

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Top cast

MacReady

Childs

Blair

Nauls

Palmer

Dr. Copper

Norris

Bennings

Clark

Garry

Fuchs

Windows

Norwegian

Norwegian Passenger with Rifle

Nate Irwin

Helicopter Pilot

William Zeman

Pilot

Jed

The Thing (uncredited)

John Carpenter

Norwegian (video footage) (uncredited)

Directors

John Carpenter

Writers

Bill Lancaster(screenplay by)

John W. Campbell Jr.(novel by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

The Thing is a claustrophobic, paranoia-driven horror film that follows a crew of American scientists trying to fend off an extraterrestrial monster before it picks them all off, one by one. The film is incredibly grounded, in a way that increases the horror and tension surrounding our main cast. In the beginning, the story takes its time, building on the threat and fear of the creature. But this slowly transitions into a paranoia-stricken thriller that has everyone painted as a potential threat. This worked really well, keeping the audience constantly on their toes not knowing who to trust. Throughout the course of the film, there is not an incredible amount of action. The movie thrives on the tension that slowly builds through the characters distrust, but this lends itself to making the more action-packed scenes that much more effective. The prosthetic and prop department did such an incredible job on the effects. There are some really twisted scenes combining body gore and genuine horror that was ahead of its time. Technically, this film is superb. The acting is great all around, but Kurt Russell shines in this role, taking over every scene he is in. The score is subtle but adds a sense of ominousness to the film that I really appreciated. Cinematography is top notch, with some impressive set designs and creative shots that create a great amount of immersion. Overall, this film is amazing. Although it does impact me as much as Halloween did, it is still an instant classic that should go down as John Carpenter's 1B to his Halloween masterpiece. Score: 90% | Verdict: Excellent

TitanGusang17 Feb, 2023