Movielogr
Swamp Thing (1982)
Directed by Wes Craven
Twitter Facebook Google+Most recently watched by Javitron, schofizzy, BTSjunkie, sleestakk
Overview
Mutated by his own secret formula, Dr. Alec Holland becomes Swamp Thing - a half human, half plant superhero who will stop at nothing to rescue government agent Alice Cable and defeat his evil arch nemesis Arcane… even if it costs him his life.
Rated PG | Length 93 minutes
Actors
Louis Jourdan | Adrienne Barbeau | Ray Wise | David Hess | Nicholas Worth | Don Knight | Al Ruban | Dick Durock | Ben Bates | Nannette Brown | Reggie Batts | Mimi Craven | Karen Price | Bill Erickson | Dov Gottesfeld | Tommy Madden
Viewing History (seen 1 time)
| Date Viewed | Device | Format | Source | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/18/2011 | Computer | Streaming | Video on Demand | 3 stars |
| (Average) 3 stars |
Viewing Notes
The 1980s had a very loose definition of the descriptor “horror,” because SWAMP THING is more of a sci-fi tragedy than anything scary.
The effects are cheap and Swamp Thing is a man in an obvious rubber suit, but I dug it nonetheless; there’s something charming about all of that and I’d love to see Hollywood make a return to cheap sci-fi/horror filmmaking that emphasized story and characterization.
Unforunately directing and story and characterization are where the film fails. The movie clocks in too short and really doesn’t play up the tragedy of being a monster isolated from society, nor the love between Cable and him; Craven seemed too much in a hurry to prove he was Director of Action and that he did poorly (see the wipe below). Craven really could’ve taken a Mary Shelley bent with the story, but sacrificed it for ‘splosions. Fortunately the film doesn’t fail spectacularly at what it’s trying to do, but it fails enough to make it forgettable and something to overlook.
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