They Live (1988)

[JaseSF]

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick a$s and I'm all outta bubblegum" - Nada.

Now any movie with a line like that certainly can't be all bad and this film does deliver some good action thrills. Where it falters is in terms of believability as our heroes, Rowdy Roddy Piper's Nada and Keith David's Frank basically just stumble headlong into their enemies headquarters and luckily or unluckily as the plot may have just tend to be in the right, or is that sometimes the wrong, perfect place to advance the action buddy plot. One that features one of the most ridiculously drawn out and overlong fight scenes ever put to film, here actually done as a means of cementing the friendship between the two leads.

The original premise of aliens using subliminal messaging to control humanity is a great concept and it works well here up to a point. Obviously it can be argued as something of a metaphor for the priveleged in society using media as a means to subdue the general public, to make them slow and dimwitted with mindless soul sucking entertainment, so that they and their chosen ilk remain on top. Something in which some might find some truth, especially given todays reality TV and edited news content, while others might well argue differently. This is one of those films which had a great original sci-fi concept but ultimately went the simpler action hero buddy route so is it itself somewhat dumbed down to appeal to the wider masses? Whatever the case, I enjoyed it mostly for the performance given by Rowdy Roddy Piper as Nada, who seems like a likable everyman type who ultimately has to make a choice based upon principle. To reluctantly try and save humanity or to take the easy route and sell out. Good stuff that proves watchable time and time again for me although it's one of those films that I think people either love or dislike. Carpenter's music is great and very fitting and definitely adds a lot to the viewing experience of THEY LIVE for me. "We Sleep. They Live."  *** out of *****

[Patient7]

I thought this was an excellent movie.  My only dislike was that you could only see "They" in black and white, the constant switching just bugged me.

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

I loved this movie.  It had some excellent paranoia, an interesting premise, guns, and cheesy dialogue.  Frankly, it was the big fight scene with the black guy that I finally realized it was "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (I'm no wrestling fan). 
-Ed

[Neville]

Good film, but certainly not among Carpenter's best. I like the premise, and the B/W shots are amazing, but the whole thing then turns into a sort of silly action movie, and Carpenter is good at many things, but not at silly action. Didn't care much for the fight scene either.

The final scene is lots of fun, though.

[Oldskool138]

I watched this movie for the first time a couple of days ago.  I liked it...but it could have been better.

This would be a good movie to remake but with a more serious tone (outside of the constant Carpenter soundtrack).  I think that's what bugged me.  It was tongue in cheek but maybe a little bit too tongue in cheek.

[Mr_Vindictive]

I watched this one just a few nights ago after seeing Jase's post on here.  I hadn't seen the film since the early 90s or so, and it surprisingly held up pretty well.  Sure, Piper's dialogue is groan inducing, but the film works in spite of it.  One thing that really surprised me is just how damn creepy the alien makeup still strikes me.  There is something truly unsettling about the alien design and I'm sure it is the reason why the film is still so remembered.

[Patient7]

I watched this one just a few nights ago after seeing Jase's post on here.  I hadn't seen the film since the early 90s or so, and it surprisingly held up pretty well.  Sure, Piper's dialogue is groan inducing, but the film works in spite of it.  One thing that really surprised me is just how damn creepy the alien makeup still strikes me.  There is something truly unsettling about the alien design and I'm sure it is the reason why the film is still so remembered.

I think that's because the makeup kind of looks like a skull.

[Torgo]

One of my personal favorites. Saw this one in theaters back when I was 13 years old(!).

The movie at times is a bit undermined at certain points by it's minuscule budget, but most of the time that actually works to its favor.