In Antarctica, some Norwegians are shooting at a dog from a helicopter, when
they come in contact with a US research camp.  Mistakes cause the death of
the Norwegians, and the research team is left with the dog, and some
questions.  Three from the camp, including MacReady (Russell), fly to the
Norway camp only to uncover more questions.  The camp is in ruins, with all
inhabitants dead.  There is something very odd in the destruction, too - a
misshapen manlike creature - burned and (thought) dead.

I'll leave some surprises, but what ends up happening is the US camp becomes
infested with an alien lifeform.  A lifeform that can assimilate into
another lifeform, and that can survive in pieces, and in extreme cold.  And
this alien can be virtually unnoticed as it takes the form of another being.
This leads to the entire research team pointing their fingers at each other.
No one is safe.  No one trusts anyone else.  But it's still up to them to
destroy the threat.

The paranoia and isolation of being in a research camp in the middle of
Antarctica during winter is bad enough.  Adding this unknown deadly factor
is chaotic.  And Carpenter does a great job of presenting the fear and
hopelessness of the situation.

The special effects are great, especially for a time before computer
graphics.  The shape-shifting alien is inventive and disgusting.  Tentacles,
teeth, eyes, legs, slime, claws - you name it, it's part of the THING.

The movie is interesting, suspenseful, well-shot, and creepy.  Plus, you get
to see the Quaker Oats guy go nuts with an axe.
 
 
 

Quality: 7.0  Visuals: 8.0  Intensity: 6.0  Gore: 7.5 
OVERALL RATING: 7.1