--- title: "The Thing: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-thing/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-thing" critics_score: 73 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Thing (1982): what the critics said Critics' score 73 from 12 reviews: 10 positive, 0 mixed, 2 negative. ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 5/5. 29 November 2011. The film has emerged as one of the most potent modern terrors after initial dismissal. The critic singles out the magnificently imaginative pre-CG effects and the icy chill of suspicion and uncertainty for praise. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-thing) ## Empire — Adam Smith Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic hails John Carpenter's 1982 film as a peerless masterpiece of relentless suspense, visual excess and nihilistic terror. The slimy effects, Ennio Morricone's score and the straight-playing ensemble cast are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/thing-2-review/) ## Little White Lies — Anton Bitel Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 23 October 2017. The restored 1982 film has become a horror/sci-fi classic that stands the test of time. The critic singles out the extraordinarily grotesque practical effects and the mood of paranoid claustrophobia for particular praise. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/home-ents/john-carpenter-the-thing-blu-ray-review) ## Slant Magazine — Eric Henderson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 October 2004. The film excels by emphasizing fractures in its all-male group under duress and the erosion of trust rather than just the gore. It is somewhat schematic compared to Carpenter's best work but delivers a satisfying existential finale. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-thing/) ## The AV Club — Mike D'Angelo Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 28 October 2016. Carpenter excels at building suspense through formal mastery and tension in scenes like the blood test, more than in the horror payoff of the creature effects. The film is a classic but contains two distinct movies, only one of which is terrific. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-suspense-is-better-than-the-horror-in-john-carpente-1798253599) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 2009. John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi horror is pretty scary and entertaining stuff on re-release, though nothing quite lives up to its tremendous opening sequence. The tension of the beginning is superb and the sinister dog is inspired, but things get a little broad later on while remaining watchable. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/sep/11/the-thing-film-review) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 1982. The critic found the film disappointing due to superficial characterizations and implausible character behavior at the outpost. It functions mainly as a gross-out effects showcase rather than a compelling story-driven horror film. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-thing-1982) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 1982. The monster effects are vividly gruesome and the premise is strong, but the film is a letdown overall, missing the intense dread of the original and featuring a nominal hero whose attitude undercuts his status. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1981/film/reviews/the-thing-2-1200425077/) ## Paste — Jim Vorel Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 23 June 2022. The critic calls The Thing a masterpiece and the best horror film of 1982, praising its technical triumph through groundbreaking practical effects, careful visual storytelling, and a pervasive icy paranoia that makes the alien threat uniquely insidious. He notes its initial critical condemnation for gore and nihilism but highlights its subsequent reappraisal as a landmark of the genre. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/horror-movies/best-horror-movie-of-1982-the-thing-john-carpenter) ## The Ringer — Miles Surrey Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 23 June 2022. The piece celebrates The Thing as a master class in suspense and practical effects that has achieved cult status, singling out the grotesque creature designs and the nerve-racking blood-test sequence for building unbearable paranoia. It contrasts the film's initial critical panning and box-office failure with its lasting influence and ambiguous ending. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2022/06/23/movies/the-thing-blade-runner-40th-anniversary-peak-sci-fi) ## Eye for Film — Jeff Robson Rating 4/5. 1 November 2008. The critic calls it a classic white-knuckle ride and one of the high points of Carpenter's career. They single out the practical special effects (including the memorable dog kennel scene) and the bleak, ambiguous ending amid the paranoia of flawed characters. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-thing-film-review-by-jeff-robson) ## Polygon — Debopriyaa Dutta Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 24 January 2026. The critic praises Carpenter's use of the Antarctic cold as a metaphor that heightens mistrust and sensory disorientation among the characters, making the blood-test scene a standout for linking environmental harshness to psychological dread. She contrasts it favorably with the 2011 prequel, noting how the original better ties the setting to themes of isolation and paranoia. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/john-carpenter-the-thing-makes-perfect-use-of-the-cold-the-prequel-movie-doesnt/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-thing.md