2.5/4  The Thing Quick Review
A laid-back road trip movie that takes too long to make its points and some successful moments of heartfelt sentiment come too late to make much of an impact; Falk and Reiser fill in their roles nicely at least. Final Grade: C+

2/5 Get the international version
  by illini2000 (Los Angeles, CA)
This US release is missing several special features found on the international version. Buy from amazon uk.

5/5 John Carpenter's The Thing
  by R. Hanley (Austin, TX, USA)
I just purchased the Blu-Ray version of The Thing. I have previosly owned this film on laserdisc and DVD. I found the Blu-Ray version to have very sharp color and contrast and to have very clean video. The sound has improved from the DVD version. I compared it to my DVD version played on my PlayStation 3 and the Blu-Ray is definitely an improvement over the DVD. If you are looking for extras, there aren't any.

4/5 80's style suspense horror
  by Mr. Stephen Kennedy (Doha, Qatar)
It's been so long since I last saw this movie, I was not so sure what I expected given it is an effects movie, over a quarter of a century old. High def transfers can really pick holes in an aging movie. Surprise, surprise though, it's a great transfer, and the movie is still suspenseful and effectively ratches up the tension. The in camera effects do not date as much as earlier cgi effects or optical effects have, and any lack of effectiveness is purely down to different audience expectation rather than problems with the movie. .. though those early scenes of Russell tapping away on a huge chess playing machine and the doctor's computer program investigating the prognoses for the team (which he times on his pocket watch!) all do date the movie more than the effects do. Dark scenes with lighting by flares or torches shows up clearly, and the wide external shots of snowbound British Columbia (filling in for Antarctica) look fantastic.
The movie itself is a great example of festering paranoia, as the research team are infiltrated by a `thing' which can take the shape or form of anything it comes in contact with (via some extraordinary squelchy and messy intermediate phases of course). No-one knows who is real and who is not, as exemplified by the still classic blood test scene, one of Carpenter's best. Even the ending is one that leaves question marks the likes of which few modern `safe' movies would try. It's as if Carpenter is more in tune with the uncertainty and paranoia of 70's America, and is unwilling to embrace the burgeoning confidence and success of the 80's.
It's not for the squeamish, and is of its time, but is a classic of its genre and a treat to see on Blu-ray.


5/5 Classic Horror Movie...Classic John Carpenter
  by Edward J. Kovacs III (East Brunswick, NJ United States)
They just don't make them like this anymore. Special effects extravaganza of a suspense/sci-fi/horror movie.

5/5 Classic done HD
  by Chase A. Cowan
I have always loved this movie, glad to see it on blu-ray when i decided to buy it, looks at least ten times better!