Swamp Thing (DC Comics Movies Review)

Plot
Dr. Alec Holland, hidden away in the depths of a murky swamp, is trying to create a new species - a combination of animal and plant capable of adapting and thriving in the harshest conditions. Unfortunately, he becomes subject of his own creation and is transformed into Swamp Thing.

Jason's Thoughts
I wasn't really expecting much from this movie, however, my hopes were raised a little bit after seeing Swamp Thing was directed by Wes Craven.  Although Craven isn't one of my all time favorite directors, I can think of several movies of his that I have enjoyed such as A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Hills Have Eyes and Last House on the Left.  After viewing Swamp Thing, I can tell you that this movie will not be added to the list.

One of my guilty pleasures is watching B-movies and trying to find gems that are rarely heard of.  As a result, I end up watching a lot of horrible movies, but even most of those have that "so bad it's good" quality.  Swamp Thing is pretty much a B-movie but is void of that quality that makes most B-movies entertaining.  From top to bottom, Swamp Thing has bad acting, bad effects, and a bad story.  It is just horrible altogether.

Once the movie finally kicks in, which begins with the turn of Dr. Alec Holland into Swamp Thing, it gets stuck into a repeat cycle for what seems to go on forever.  It pretty much features the bad guys chasing after Alice Cable until Swamp Thing comes to the rescue.  Then it starts all over again.  It does amaze me, though, that no matter how many times Cable dives or is pushed into swampy waters, that her clothes always appear dry when she is running through the surrounding forest.

Furthermore, the special effects featured in Swamp Thing are laughable.  Sure, the movie was released in 1982, but even the Creature from The Creature from the Black Lagoon looked better and that movie was released in the 1950s.  There were some scenes in Swamp Thing where I could see spots where the rubber suit would wrinkle around the knees and elbows.  If that wasn't bad enough, the (anti-)climatic ending that features two of these rubber suits is actually groan inducing.

Had it not been for the fact that I forced myself to watch this movie as part of the DC Movies Marathon, I would have turned off the movie about a third of the way through.  The only redeeming qualities were the camera shots of the swamp and surrounding bayou and of a few scenes that featured some little black kid who has a couple of good lines.  I'm not even sure if that kid even has a name, but randomly appears from time to time.

If anything, Swamp Thing does remain a staple of time where ratings weren't nearly as strict as they are now.  This movie was rated PG in 1982, even though it featured a lot of blood and violence, not to mention nudity.  Of course, this, along with the other redeeming factors I mentioned earlier, is no reason to go out and watch this movie.  In fact, Swamp Thing would be best avoided at all costs.

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