When John Carpenter’s The Thing was released in 1982, the £15 million film raked in £40 million worldwide – not too shabby for a sci-fi horror flick.
This thrilling spectacle, packed with outlandish special effects and some of the most bone-chilling dialogue this side of Antarctica, may not have spawned a franchise like Alien or Predator, but it has certainly cemented its place in the horror movie hall of fame, boasting an impressive 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Spoiler alert: the film is set in a remote Antarctic research station that becomes a nightmarish scene in this classic horror.
A shape-shifting alien infiltrates the base, causing paranoia to spread rapidly as the creature can flawlessly mimic any living being.
Trust becomes a scarce commodity, reports the Mirror.
As tensions reach boiling point and the body count rises, acting legend Kurt Russell’s pragmatic helicopter pilot MacReady steps up in a desperate fight for survival.
The Thing, filled with gore, suspense, shocking twists, and underlying political Game Theory as characters are eliminated one by one, is a terrifying masterclass in sci-fi horror that leaves viewers pondering: what if the real monster is already among us?
One of the most memorable lines encapsulates the film’s central theme of distrust and the fear of not knowing who’s still human:.
The film’s script is full of memorable lines, such as “I know I’m human. And if you were all these things, then you’d just attack me right now. So some of you are still human.”
Others are humorous, terrifying, and relatable, like Palmer’s “You gotta be ****** kidding” when faced with one of the film’s most gruesome creature reveals. Russell’s most empowering moment comes just before he torches the monstrous Thing, saying “Yeah, **** you too!”
Here are some reviews from Rotten Tomatoes to get you in the mood for this ultimate monster movie:.
Ed Potten notes: “The solemnity of the frozen wastes contrasts brilliantly with the sweaty paranoia of the men, who are unsure which of their colleagues is next going to erupt with hidden jaws and shooting tendrils.”
Reviewer BegG praises the film, saying “John Carpenter and Kurt Russell are the best! Great Scifi/Horror movie!”.
Steve calls it an “Absolute horror classic! Must watch for sci/fi horror suspense fans.”
Fan Benjamin b simply states, “best horror movie ever made”.
Thaddeus Buttrey shares their opinion: “In my eyes, The Thing is as perfect as a movie can get: it knows exactly what it wants to be and what it’s trying to do, and succeeds on every level I can conceive.”
V-LO comments, “Suspense at its best in this version from director John Carpenter.”
Fan fitzbizdev L concludes, “Epic, brilliant and a classic.”
With such rave reviews, The Thing is a must-watch – it’s still available to stream on Prime for up to 30 days.
