The Blob (1988) is directed by Chuck Russell, who also wrote the screenplay alongside Frank Darabont. It stars Kevin Dillon, Shawnee Smith, Donovan Leitch Jr., Candy Clark, Jeffrey DeMunn, Joe Seneca, Del Close, Paul McCrane, Sharon Spelman, Beau Billingslea, Art LaFleur, Ricky Paull Goldin, Robert Axelrod, Frank Collison, and Jack Rader. The film is a remake of the similarly named monster movie classic from 1958. It follows high school cheerleader Meg Penny (Smith), who accepts a date with golden-boy football player, Paul Taylor (Leitch Jr). When out on the town, the two discover that they may not be a proper match, a situation made infinitely worse when they almost run over a local vagrant desperately fleeing from some kind of glowing pink ooze. In the vicinity is local bad boy Brian Flagg (Dillon), who urges them to take the man to a hospital. Once there, the three discover that the ooze is some kind of alien creature that consumes all organic matter it touches, growing exponentially with each meal. While attempting to save their various loved ones, the group is also forced to contend with a shady government agency intent on containing the creature before it reaches another town. 

Although the ensemble cast delivers several spirited performances, most of the characters lack complexity/depth. The script only provides them each with one, maybe two scenes that establish only the most basic aspects of who they are. More than anything else, these characters are designed to be cannon fodder, their introductions working mostly as subtle foreshadowing for their eventual deaths. This could’ve felt like a waste of time considering how little we actually care about them, but the practical effects-fueled death sequences are some of the best to grace the big screen. If we don’t care about whether a character lives or dies, their death is rarely as effective as it ought to be. However, the practical effects-driven kills are so memorable, entertaining, and creative that they don’t require us to care about the victims. The “how?” is so good that the “who?” is mostly an afterthought. Usually, character is king in terms of storytelling, but The Blob is an exception. 

The occasional flashes of CGI are slightly disappointing by today’s standards. Thankfully, they’re only used in the handful of moments that are a bit overly ambitious in terms of both creativity and budget. For example, there’s one particular kitchen sink-related death that’s the clear inspiration for the scene-stealing MRI machine kill in this year’s Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025). 

Because this is such a plot-driven experience, lead characters like Brian and Meg could’ve easily just come across as insufferably unoriginal teen archetypes. Thankfully, the two come across as worthy protagonists for several reasons, especially Brian. Once the action kicks in around the 30-minute mark, the two are primarily characterized by their various unspoken actions/choices. This is effective, but it’s clear that Meg specifically could’ve been better established in the first act. The strongest character is easily Brian Flagg. This is primarily due to the casting of Kevin Dillon in the role, who seems almost born to play this kind of perm-haired, leather-jacket-wearing bad boy (who might have a heart of gold). All of that said, Brian and Meg are memorable, above all else, because of how they maintain the legacy of the protagonists in The Blob (1958). The original version was atypical for its era in that it features a group of rebellious teenagers who ultimately become the heroes. During an age that was steeped in parental fears about their children smoking the “reefer” or listening to “satanic” rock music, the film was one of the first of its kind to predict that the nation’s youth were going to be A-ok. It forces fans who were teenagers when they saw the original to, this time, step into their parents’ shoes and likewise accept that their kids probably aren’t up to no good; they just have strange fads.  

Overall, this is a kick-ass monster movie, and it’s also one of the better horror remakes ever produced. It’s often overshadowed by John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) when discussing ’80s remakes, and rightfully so. Still, in my mind, this is a more purely fun watch in terms of action. I would never say it’s a better film; it just provides something completely different. The script lacks a lot in terms of characterization, but it feels like an acceptable price to pay for all of the fast-paced, creatively conceived genre thrills. The tone will be a bit too campy for some tastes, but anything about an alien called “The Blob” probably should be. B+