The Thing (1982)

Movie review by Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media
The Thing (1982) Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 17+

Gory fear fest is a classic the faint-hearted should skip.

R 1982 109 minutes
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Parents say

age 14+

Based on 16 reviews

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 78 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this movie is graphically violent, gory, grisly, and frightening, though it's so over-the-top and dated that the gore is almost campy. Humans and dogs are the victims of monstrous alien beings attempting to destroy them. They are hideously ugly creatures with slimy tentacles, pulsing muscles, jagged teeth, and screeching howls. They imitate other life forms and take over living beings suddenly, turning a beautiful dog into a raving, slathering beast, or a man into a giant, multi-limbed, oozing mass of pus and muscle. The movie has occasional swearing ("f--k," "ass," "d--k," "s--t,") and the leading man drinks whiskey straight from a bottle several times, others drink occasionally, and one character smokes a marijuana cigarette.

Community Reviews

doctora
doctora Adult
November 16, 2022
age 17+

One of the greatest Carpenter films ever made!

A strong narrative, well executed vision and quite a bit of violence. Russell is a delight in Carpenter's vision and all the other actors play their parts expertly well. The beginning is golden and it continues to get better from there. An excellent claustrophobic character study of who do you trust? And what is the real terror? Where does it live? Is it within? A great horror film for people who do not like blood and guts but enjoy psychological complexity.
1 person found this helpful.
rtgfc T.
rtgfc T. Adult
January 16, 2023
age 15+

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 16 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Isolated in Antarctica, the scientists in a research facility are under assault from alien creatures released after a long burial in the icy terrain. As one by one, the men meet horrific ends, it's an increasingly terrifying and violent battle for survival.

Is It Any Good?

Made in 1982, before the explosion of digital filmmaking, this iconic combination of horror and science fiction is often considered a landmark achievement by famed horror director John Carpenter.

By today's standard, some of the grisly effects and the grotesque mounds of tentacles, teeth, and muscle that serve as the monster, seem oddly tame, though they would still be highly disturbing for kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the use of frequent use of violence and gore in this film. What do you think the filmmaker's purpose was?

  • Were the scariest moments because of onscreen mayhem or because of suspense-filled moments when you didn't know what was going to happen? Describe your feelings about and reactions to each type of "horror." Why do people like to be scared?

  • Did the ending surprise you? Did you find yourself projecting what might have happened afterwards? Is that projection a measure of a movie's success?

  • How does this version compare to the more modern one?

Movie Details

Our Editors Recommend

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