Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • 3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)
    • 3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)
    • 3625. Ode To Joy (2019)
    • 3624. One Chance (2013)
    • 3623. Falling For Figaro (2020)
    • 3622. The Polka King (2017)
    • 3621. Spies In Disguise (2019)
    • 3620. Friendzone (2021)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»3184. The Thing (1982)

    3184. The Thing (1982)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on December 15, 2020 100-109 mins, 1982, 8 - 10, Dec 20, Horror, Movies Of 2020, Review, Thriller, United States
    8.2 Powerfully paranoid and thrillingly gruesome
    • Acting 8.1
    • Directing 8.4
    • Story 8.1
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter

    Director: John Carpenter

    Running Time: 109 mins


    The Thing is an American film about the occupants of a remote Antarctic research base which becomes terrorised by a mysterious and lethal creature that takes on the form of those it devours.

    Not only is The Thing a masterpiece of gruesome, effects-driven horror that hasn’t aged a day, but it’s also an ingenious portrayal of the devastating potential of paranoia, proving just as mentally exhilarating as it is brutally gory.

    Admittedly, things do take a little while to start here, however after a brilliantly intriguing opening scene, The Thing is able to plant powerful seeds of doubt in your mind before the story has even got into first gear. From there, the whole film is a gripping game of second-guessing, as you’re never quite sure who to fear and when.

    Complete with a piercingly eerie musical score from the legendary Ennio Morricone and a thrilling blend of exhilarating tension and no-holds-barred violence and gore from director John Carpenter, The Thing is a movie so gruesome you’ll want to look away, but so captivating that you’ll never quite be able to do so.

    While its cast of characters may not be the most fascinating or well-fleshed out, they’re there to act as a way for you as the viewer to consider just what you would do in such a terrifying situation, with Kurt Russell’s MacReady a brilliant blend of both the level-headed and powerfully paranoid approaches to surviving an onslaught by a devastating creature.

    What’s more is the way that The Thing uses paranoia and ambiguity to such great effect, crafting a horror experience that always has you on your toes and looking over your shoulder (figuratively speaking of course).

    As the creature at the centre of the story takes on the form of those that it has brutally devoured, the movie soon descends into a cagey thriller where you’re always on edge as to who you can trust, and when the seemingly inevitable and gruesome end is coming for each of our characters.

    I wouldn’t call The Thing an overwhelmingly intense psychological thriller, but it’s one of the best films I’ve ever seen that unites mentally exhilarating drama with unyielding horror, and that makes it an utterly mesmerising watch from start to finish.

    And even though you may think such an effects-heavy horror from the early 1980s would look outdated today, The Thing’s brilliantly crafted practical effects are so gruesome and so shocking that you won’t be thinking about anything else. It’s bloody, nasty and plain disgusting to look at, but it’s eternally more effective than CGI could ever be in this scenario.

    Overall, I loved The Thing. An utterly thrilling watch from start to finish, the movie ingeniously blends brutal horror and gore with mesmerising and suspenseful psychological thrills, playing on paranoia as we see a group of men desperately try to survive the onslaught of a vicious creature. So, that’s why I’m giving it an 8.2.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. Since January 1st, 2013, he has watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    7.1

    3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)

    5.8

    3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)

    7.9

    3625. Ode To Joy (2019)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    5.3
    January 17, 2022

    3620. Friendzone (2021)

    7.1
    January 10, 2022

    3612. The Lost Daughter (2021)

    8.0
    January 7, 2022

    3609. Licorice Pizza (2021)

    7.2
    January 7, 2022

    3608. Lamb (2021)

    7.4
    December 30, 2021

    3599. The King’s Man (2021)

    6.3
    December 29, 2021

    3598. The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

    8.4
    December 28, 2021

    3597. West Side Story (2021)

    6.3
    December 27, 2021

    3596. Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

    Recommended Movies
    8.2
    Review
    September 2, 20190

    2667. Won’t You Be My Neighbour? (2018)

    8.0
    Review
    January 23, 20180

    2030. Paddington 2 (2017)

    8.2
    Review
    February 27, 20190

    2471. Instant Family (2018)

    8.2
    Review
    June 24, 20170

    1797. When Will You Return (いつまた、君と ~何日君再来~) (2017)

    8.5
    Review
    July 10, 20130

    216. The Lady (2011)

    Popular Posts
    7.1
    January 24, 2022

    3627. I Believe In Miracles (2015)

    5.8
    January 23, 2022

    3626. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985)

    7.9
    January 22, 2022

    3625. Ode To Joy (2019)

    7.4
    January 21, 2022

    3624. One Chance (2013)

    6.3
    January 20, 2022

    3623. Falling For Figaro (2020)

    7.5
    January 19, 2022

    3622. The Polka King (2017)

    6.0
    January 18, 2022

    3621. Spies In Disguise (2019)

    © 2022 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.