Horror Movie Review: The Blob (1988)

The Blob is a science-fiction horror film co-written and directed by Chuck Russell, releasing in 1988. It’s a remake of the 1958 film of the same name, albeit with plenty of changes. The plot follows an acidic organism that crashes down to Earth and devours anything in its path as it grows.

A transient witnesses a sphere-like object crash to Earth. Within it he discovers a slime like substance that adheres to his hand. Brian, Meg and Paul are high school students who come across the man who’s in pain and distress, they take him to hospital.

After Brian leaves, Paul witnesses the lower half of the transient melting from exposure to the Blob. As he calls for help, the Blob drops on top of him. Meg walks in to see Paul being consumed by the growing Blob. She tries freeing him but his arm dissolves off and she is thrown and knocked unconscious. The Blob fully dissolves Paul and oozes out of the hospital where it devours Paul’s friend and his date.

Brian & Meg attempt to inform the police but they’re disinterested. They meet at a diner where Meg tells Brian about the Blob. Brian’s disbelief is shattered when a diner worker is violently pulled through a sink drain. The Blob pursues them to the diner’s walk-in freezer but retreats after entering the freezer. After consuming Sheriff Geller and the diner’s owner, the Blob enters the sewers. It is observed by the town’s Reverend.

Afterwards, Meg & Brian discover a military operation led by Dr. Meddows, who orders the town and the two teens quarantined. Elsewhere, The Blob continues to run rampant, consuming and destroying every living thing in its path. Also, a revelation on the true origin of the monster changes everything.

Firstly, I can absolutely understand why this film has such a cult following. It has all of the ingredients to make it a 80s horror classic, albeit with some flaws. The practical effects work throughout are incredibly well done. Watching The Blob melt and consume people is pretty damn disgusting to witness, which is awesome! That poor guy who gets literally yanked through a plughole is a definite highlight. One thing I really liked about this film was that certain character deaths are genuinely unexpected. One more thing about the effects. Unfortunately, there is some very dodgy looking CGI or blue-screen. Still, it deserves to be ignored due to how amazing everything else looks.

The acting is in a word, cheesy. Brian Flagg is a proper generic bad boy adrenaline junkie/anti-authority figure. Meg is the typical cheerleader type who proves that she has brains as well as beauty. The finale involving her taking up arms cemented my belief that this film was heavily inspired by Ripley & Aliens. Also, I felt that Brian and Meg had a poor level of chemistry. Their romance side-plot felt forced.

I was really enjoying The Blob right up until it’s revealed that the whole thing is basically a big military experiment. That’s right, The Blob isn’t an alien at all. It came from Earth! I’m not a fan of this. The whole creation aspect of the creature is messy and it all feels way too Resident Evil for my linking. Also, Alien/Aliens did I mention Alien/Aliens?

Dr Meddows is a really dumb character. What is his plan for the monster? At one point he says he wants to contain it in the sewers? What for? If he was involved in its creation then surely he knows containing it is not really possible. He dies like a complete moron as well. Another thing, why were the scientists holding guns and rounding up the monster? Surely that is a job for the military?

Make sure you pay attention to the reverend in The Blob. I mean, he’s barely in the film but apparently he’s an important character.

Overall, The Blob has some of the best practical effects work that I have ever seen. Unfortunately, the characters and plot are meh. Still, any horror film that has the balls to murder a child gets a thumps up from me.