 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Thing (1982)
- Review Date: October 13, 2011
- R
- Genre: Horror
- 1982
Common Sense Media says
Gory fear fest is a classic the faint-hearted should skip.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
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.
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.
What families can talk 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?
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AGE
boo didnt scare me in sorta gory awesome movie
great movie a couple gory scenes
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AGE
Nauseatingly effective in it's power to disturb, but could even disturb some parents
John carpenters classic original horror movie, The Thing, is as effective now as it was when it premiered into theaters in the summer of 1982. Sure, the movie flopped and the critics panned it and dismissed it promptly, but over the years it has maintained a strong cult following, which I am a member of, and am still proud of that fact (maybe I should get a life!) Now, obviously, I won't have to repeat this twice, because I am going to make this very clear: This is in absolutely no way what so ever, a movie for children! There are so many extremely gruesome and explicitly gory images that I can't even count them all or keep track of them all! Sure, the effects are fairly dated, because, again, it came out in 1982, but, surprisingly, it still has the power to disturb the heck out of you, and as that, this movie is a perfect barf bag movie. Also, there is a bit of profanity including f--k, sh-t, crap, d-mn, ass and more. So check it out if our a big Carpenter fan, but as for the gore, you have been warned.
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AGE
A really good horror film
I just got the thing on blu-ray the picture quality is not that good but the sound are really awesome.
The movie it self is intense suspenseful and yet a little bit gory but the gore effect are bad because it's from 1982 a 11 year old can watched those scene but the movie is really intense and with scary bit a 13 year old can watched this movie if their not scare of the thing
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AGE
Surprisingly gory for the time period
The Thing is a great horror film, but is extaordinarily gory, especially for when it was made. Lots of disturbing imagery here, with limbs torn off, human imitating aliens being torched by flamethrowers, bodys tearing apart graphically to reveal aliens inside, several shootings, and much more. The aliens in The Thing are gruesome, with lots of gross tentacles and teeth. The only way to describe them would be a mass of red flesh with tentacles and teeth. There is also strong language, and one character frequently drinks whiskey. It's really good, though. Suggested MPAA rating: R for strong graphic creature violence and gore, disturbing images, and language
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Kid, 12 years old
December 14, 2011
AGE
The Thing
This movie is good, enjoyed it a lot. It is very violent, though. But if your kid is mature enough and can handle some gore and creepy atmospheres, i would say a twelve years old could take it.
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Kid, 12 years old
November 30, 2011
AGE
gory but aweasome
very very gory. no extreme language.the only very disturbing scene is when a mans chest splits open with teeth and chomps a mans arms off.parents wait till your child is not scared of monsters
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AGE
fine
i enjoyed this movie when i was 11 it was cool scary the effects were not the best it swears the f-word 2 times one alone and on as the mother but all and all it is fine
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AGE
My Favorite Horror Movie Ever!
This movies is very, very scary and is a masterpiece. It is a little gory here and there and there are a few F-words, but overall a very scary movie.
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AGE
A great classic horror movie, yet surpisingly gory. Know your kid!
I just saw this movie tonight for the first time, in order to prepare for the upcoming and highly (maybe not too highly, but still) promoted prequel coming out, and I was presently surprised. Despite this being one of the most gruesome alien movies I have yet seen, this was well made. Carpenter does a good job of keeping us from knowing just who the thing is, until he decides to reveal it. I recommend it, it's not the best, not by a long shot, but it's still really good. VIOLENCE: Despite the dated effects, this is still one of the most graphic and visceral 80's horror movies you can find (I haven't seen em' all, but I've seen enough). Heads are pulled off, a stomach opens into a gaping mouth that bites off a character's arms, dogs and people rip open as the Thing tries to imitate them. One character goes insane and smashes a room up, and though he does not succeed, he attempts to kill the other characters with a gun and an axe. The same man does succeed in killing the rest of the dogs that the Thing did not get to, and we see one shot of a dead dog with an axe blade resting in its neck. I could go on, but I believe it would be pointless, you should have a pretty good idea of what your in for now. SEXUAL CONTENT: Literally, none. There are no female characters present in this movie, there are no homosexuals, and there is no perverted talk. Literally, and surprisingly, zip. LANGUAGE: Not as bad as say... Scream or the Blair Witch Project, but still very deserving of an R-rating. The "F" and "S" words are used several times, along with God's name in vain, and several other obscenities. Nothing new, but still too harsh for young children. In summary, this movie deserves it's R-rating, so do not by any means disregard it. But if, like me, you have already seen Alien a 1,000,002 times, this movie is a great change of pace. It's not the greatest, and is definetely not the scariest, but it's not bad. It's really not. Just do not let anyone under the age of 14 see it, I really do mean that. :) Thanks for reading!
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| Studio: | Universal Studios Home Entertainment |
| Director: | John Carpenter |
| Cast: | Keith David, Kurt Russell, Richard Dysart |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 109 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 25, 1982 |
| DVD release date: | September 25, 2011 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | strong, bloody violence and gore, grisly and disturbing images, some language and drug use |
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