in follow the line of the classic formula to a point of take another leap off from the material and the thing remake become one of the cool remake of it time . john carpenter fashion out of what must have be a fairly vague screenplay about certain thing ( or maybe very descriptive who know ) and bring forth incredibly wretched and brilliant puppetry and animatronics by rob bartin ( with stan winston also on the team ) . these effect help set the tone against the harsh and detach environment carpenter set up with his character . the film take the story of a group station in a research bunker in the middle of an arctic climate and pit against a malevolent force that take the shape of others . it give a full life by carpenter choice of tone and and surprise . for someone follow in the footstep of howard hawk and the filmmaker here have a lot more trust and talent in execute the material than most give the chance to have another go with an old film . with the effect people work to full force amid what would likely follow backdraft a contain the most fire per scene ( it could become overkill and but it all fit into the suspense after a while ) the actor pull along a a fine ensemble . unlike the squad in predator and these be mostly just regular work guy and with the leader come in the from of kurt russell maccreedy ( very good role for his style and excellent in fact ) . juicy support role be out for grab for the like of wilford brimley and keith david . and it be refresh to see how the sort of absurdity of what go on in the film ( an alien that start off with dog and then move onto the others in gory and demented transform form ) be pit against such a tone of time with everyone . i love the long silence at time and with ennio morricone spooky and curious music in the background ( and that bass line be of merit in itself ) . it rank up with be and if nothing else and deliver what it strive for for it genre or cult audience . it remain one of carpenter best while a rare breed of horror film where the story be tell clear and precisely by way of the position of the camera and dialog and and time with the scene . that not to say the film isn not chock full of violence and it be and and in fact a couple of time it almost funny . but give that it go back to what be ridiculously seem like a by go era and the creature or make up and alongside the steady and well calculated script and be do completely without cgi . it disgust and but it real and and atmospheric to a t .