This Thing is Amazing (The Thing (DVD))

Member Name: themovieboy

Product:	The Thing (DVD)
Date:	23/04/09 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Ahead of its time

Disadvantages: Nothing

The Thing.
========

I remember seeing the original black and white version on the TV quite a few years back and to be honest it was poor. Not really that much to live up to you might think when shooting a remake but John Carpenter takes this film to a lofty cinematic high.


The film is set in the Antarctic at a desolate and remote research station. There is a small team of scientists and some ancillary staff, cook, doctor etc. They peace is disturbed one day when a helicopter appears in the sky and the people aboard are trying desperately to shoot a dog which is literally running for its life. They fail and the chopper crashes killing everyone aboard.

The dog holds a secret, the dog is not a dog.

It is housed with the other sleigh dogs at the station and a number of crew set off to the helicopters base to find out what is wrong. What they find there is frightening.
And when they return some of the stations compliment of staff are somehow different.

The film stars one of my favourite actors, Kurt Russell and he gives a strong macho performance. He may not be the brains at this isolated research station but he has brains enough to stay alive when all hell on earth is unleashed.

Soon the dog is tearing itself apart and bits of it are becoming 'something else'. But that is just the beginning. Soon everyone is doubting the humanness of their fellow man. Then the fun really starts.......
Even killing yourself is not an option!

This must rate as one best Sci Fi movies of all time. The special effects are just stunning, severed heads sprouting legs and scuttling off, chests popping open revealing nasty looking teeth inside and all manner of weird abominations roaming this cold and deathly station.

The ending, if I'm honest, I didn't see coming and it really was superb.

The film is centred inside of the cold, cold research station which gives it a claustrophobic feel. The crew simply have nowhere to run and you can feel their fear realising they are cornered and must fight to survive against a horror beyond their comprehension.

John Carpenter has managed to bring a creeping terror and subtle dread into this movie. The atmosphere builds as the discoveries are made is a slow and deeply malign manner.

This film is a cut above many if not all of its genre and you really should see it if you can. But be warned this is not a movie for the squeamish or for those of you who 'jump' easily.

Kurt Russell gives a superb performance, but then he always does.

Summary: A very enjoyable movie, easily watchable again.