Remakes of classic films are usually terrible (especially with the likes of PSYCHO and GODZILLA), but a handful of them are actually rather good, and in some cases improve on the original, which was the case with Cronenberg's remake of THE FLY. THE BLOB happily falls into the latter category, being a adrenaline-pumping tale which mixes horror elements, science fiction moments and has the speed and energy of an action film. While the 1950s original classic starring Steve McQueen was a good, original, monster movie with some frightening moments, it was somewhat lacking in the special effects department, and what effects there were just weren't enough to do it justice. This is where the 1988 remake of THE BLOB comes in.
The special effects are spectacular and especially gruesome this time around. In the scenes where a large-scale Blob is attacking people, back projection is obviously being used just like it was in THE STUFF, but this does not detract from the entertainment value. There is a high death rate in the film, and lots of spectacular and bloody deaths mostly involving people melting and being enveloped in the Blob's tentacles, and it's pleasing to see that the effects are not at all CGI-generated, like the similarly slimy tentacles were in DEEP RISING.
To move the film along, there are a lot of chase scenes, on motorcycles, in sewers, in the streets, everywhere really. These make the film feel a lot like a roller-coaster ride, and that's exactly what it is. The acting is good all-round, from Shawnee Smith as the tough heroine to Kevin Dillon as the outsider who turns out to be a good guy, with support from a creepy Reverend. All of the actors put in over the top performances in terms of emoting, which is amusing, and they thankfully don't take themselves too seriously. THE BLOB sticks (no pun intended), in terms of plot, to the '50s original, but fleshes out the story a lot (even adding in an up-to-date government conspiracy angle), and generally feels to be a bigger, more packed film. Not a minute goes by without something exciting happening. If you're looking for solid escapist entertainment, then THE BLOB is for you.
The special effects are spectacular and especially gruesome this time around. In the scenes where a large-scale Blob is attacking people, back projection is obviously being used just like it was in THE STUFF, but this does not detract from the entertainment value. There is a high death rate in the film, and lots of spectacular and bloody deaths mostly involving people melting and being enveloped in the Blob's tentacles, and it's pleasing to see that the effects are not at all CGI-generated, like the similarly slimy tentacles were in DEEP RISING.
To move the film along, there are a lot of chase scenes, on motorcycles, in sewers, in the streets, everywhere really. These make the film feel a lot like a roller-coaster ride, and that's exactly what it is. The acting is good all-round, from Shawnee Smith as the tough heroine to Kevin Dillon as the outsider who turns out to be a good guy, with support from a creepy Reverend. All of the actors put in over the top performances in terms of emoting, which is amusing, and they thankfully don't take themselves too seriously. THE BLOB sticks (no pun intended), in terms of plot, to the '50s original, but fleshes out the story a lot (even adding in an up-to-date government conspiracy angle), and generally feels to be a bigger, more packed film. Not a minute goes by without something exciting happening. If you're looking for solid escapist entertainment, then THE BLOB is for you.