Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Longstreet
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gory fear fest is a classic the faint-hearted should skip.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Thing (1982)
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 23 parent reviews
Parents say that while the film is filled with gore and violent scenes, its stylized effects and psychological tension are more campy than truly frightening, making it less suitable for younger viewers than suggested. Many reviewers highlight the film's practical effects and character dynamics, indicating it is a classic horror experience with a significant emphasis on suspense and trust issues among characters.
- campy violence
- psychological tension
- practical effects
- suitable for older teens
- classic horror experience
- gory imagery
Summarized with AI
Based on 97 kid reviews
Kids say that this movie is an extreme example of gory body horror with many shocking and intense scenes, making it unsuitable for younger audiences. While some praise its practical effects and suspenseful storytelling as a classic horror film, others warn it may be too disturbing, particularly with its portrayal of animals, making parental guidance advisable.
- gory body horror
- intense violence
- parental guidance advised
- classic practical effects
- suspenseful storytelling
- mixed reactions
Summarized with AI
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
- In theaters : June 25, 1982
- On DVD or streaming : September 25, 2011
- Cast : Keith David , Kurt Russell , Richard Dysart
- Director : John Carpenter
- Studio : Universal Studios Home Entertainment
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 109 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong, bloody violence and gore, grisly and disturbing images, some language and drug use
- Last updated : March 20, 2026
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