The Thing (1982) - 8/10

This is a ‘The’ film that I’ve not watched until now, 2026. Forgive me. As Carpenter’s unmistakable synth score warms the opening titles, I know I’ve been missing out. In the winter of ‘82, MacReady (Kurt Russell) finds himself in Antarctica with a big beard and a silly hat, on a scientific research base. Quiet place, lots of snow. Until a Norwegian sniper shows up in a chopper shooting at a defenceless wild husky. Something’s off. The base is cut off, no radio, no idea what’s going on, no idea that we’ve seen a flying saucer crash landing in the pre-titles and no idea what was aboard, but that husky is now chilling in the base under the table tennis table. Bloody well trained dog by the way, named Jed, he deserves credit for the suspenseful and controlled way he moves around the base. MacReady is the pilot in the gang and gets ordered by the captain (Donald Moffat) to go investigate, where they find the Norwegian base over the mountain a burnt out wreck, populated by mutilated bodies. The tension is there from the get go, with a haunting score (seemingly a mix of Carpenter and Morricone impersonating Carpenter) and an eerie setting, not to mention that dog, that’s no ordinary dog. What they’re dealing with isn’t clear, but there’s enough gnarly body horror in the opening half hour to set your teeth on edge. It does a great job slowly revealing to our cast, just how much trouble they’re in, without ever pulling any punches. Blair (Wilfred Brimley) is the scientific brains of the outfit, theorising with a green screen terminal display about the rate of infection from their new parasitic shape-shifting friend, he determines that they might already be screwed and he’s not wrong. The numbers dwindling, tempers fray, no one knowing who’s still human and who’s been infected. The great thing is, we don’t know either! The body horror and spawning monsters don’t let up, neither does the tension. Russell is great as the renegade hero with a trusty flamethrower and Keith David, stands out in the supporting cast as Childs. Everyone else feels like fodder, but Childs, if he’s going down, he’s fighting. Honestly I might’ve struggled with this years ago, as horrors go, this is pretty horrific and it doesn’t really let up. It keeps things simple, but keeps you guessing. The gore is vivid and creative. I can’t think of much if anything I’d change, even the apparently controversial end is brilliant. Fantastic film, worthy of praise and its classic horror status.

8/10