Kurt Russell: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked
4. R.J. McReady - The Thing
Russell made a number of films with genre master John Carpenter, with their remake of The Thing being one of their best. While it contains some world-class and disgusting practical special effects its the ensemble cast that binds it. The movie follows a group of scientists in Antarctica who uncover an alien parasite, and as it morphs and takes them over fear and paranoia tear the survivors apart. MacReady emerges as the reluctant leader, and its one of Russells most downbeat performances. His character is an anti-social drunk before the alien arrives, so his mood only worsens when things go to hell. It was one of the first films to show how restrained he could be; MacReady is a man of few words and he only cracks a smile right at the end. He also has a mean competitive streak, so when he realises the alien is going to win hed rather destroy the base and himself along with it then lose. The final shot of him and the only other survivor (and potential thing) is one of the best of his career, with the two men waiting to either freeze to death - or for the other man to reveal their true nature. Plus, he has the manliest beard ever captured on camera.
