A good, but not particularly spectacular superhero comic-strip outing (off DC comics) by writer / director Wes Craven. A threadbare, but glum story (filled with tragedy and vengeance) seems to only repeat its actions on a continuously patchy loop (wandering around the swamp fleeing from bad guys to be only captured and flee again with the swamp thing always appearing from nowhere to rescue the day), but there's a welcoming dose of humour and some good solid central performances by Adrienne Barbeau, Louis Jourdan, David Hess and Ray Wise. Craven inventively frames the activity with some comic book-like touches between scenes, but it's the effective location work that does it wonders. The swamp terrain is masterfully captured, as the muggy atmosphere is thick and Craven cooks up some stylishly arresting imagery with his use positional lighting. Harry Manfredini's music score is fitting. The creature effects do stand-up well enough (rubber suits), well some more so than others and there's an impressively unusual transformation sequence --- although the final result of it isn't as so. Still Craven stagy direction packs this venture with fun, overblown nonsense, but it's enjoyably campy. Stunt-work is done with plenty of energy, big ambitions and vehicles/stunt-men getting plenty of air in the wake of destruction. Plus who gets guys wrestling about in the swamps in costume.
Barbeau becomes bait and gets wet quite a bit, but brings a strong-willed presence to her character and Jourdan gives out a brazen bad guy turn. Hess eats up his role as a mercenary and as well as Nicholas Worth. Wise is fruitfully likable in his short time on screen and Dick Durock has a strong solemn air about when donning that Swamp thing suit. Reggie Batts (in his one and only ever film role!) is quite memorable as the very-laid back Jude, who's there for some comical relief and it surprisingly works. Don Knight also appears.
Standard but diverting comic-book fare.
Barbeau becomes bait and gets wet quite a bit, but brings a strong-willed presence to her character and Jourdan gives out a brazen bad guy turn. Hess eats up his role as a mercenary and as well as Nicholas Worth. Wise is fruitfully likable in his short time on screen and Dick Durock has a strong solemn air about when donning that Swamp thing suit. Reggie Batts (in his one and only ever film role!) is quite memorable as the very-laid back Jude, who's there for some comical relief and it surprisingly works. Don Knight also appears.
Standard but diverting comic-book fare.