They Live (1988)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:34
Fresh:30
Rotten:4
Average Rating:7.1/10
Consensus: A politically subversive blend of horror and sci fi, They Live is an underrated genre film from John Carpenter.
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
US Box Office: $0
Synopsis: John Nada (Roddy Piper) is a quiet loner, a drifter who gets work where ever he can find it. While working on a construction site in L.A. and sleeping in a vagrant community at night, John stumbles... [More]
Starring: Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster, George Flower
Director: John Carpenter
Reviews for They Live
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
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They Live is thought-provoking while maintaining its B-movie credentials. Full Review |
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3.5/4 |
An erratically amusing throwback to the science-fiction paranoia films of the 1950s. Full Review |
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A fantastically subversive film, a nifty little confection pitting us vs them, the haves vs the have-nots. Full Review |
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All in all, an entertaining (if ideologically incoherent) response to the valorization of greed in our midst. Full Review |
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3/4 |
Carpenter's ability to fuse the bawdy humor and action with an intelligent script make for a genre film that is both thoughtful and entertaining Full Review |
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3.5/4 |
great cult flick Full Review |
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The black-and-white visuals disturb for only so long, and while themes of indoctrination and conspiracy prove initially intriguing, the film quickly descends into fistfights and gunfire. Full Review |
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3/5 |
No review available.
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4/5 |
An excellent Carpenter film, if you can get past the fight scene.
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3/5 |
No review available.
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2/5 |
No review available.
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The loopiest, and coolest, entry in the director’s canon. Full Review |
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3/5 |
No review available.
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4/5 |
No review available.
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4/5 |
Kicks ass and chews bubblegum -- metaphorically speaking.
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4/5 |
No review available.
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3/5 |
No review available.
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4.5/5 |
Piper is easily the star of the show, making They Live Carpenter's best film -- I don't care what you say. Full Review |
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3.5/5 |
As is often the case with Carpenter, the concept is better than the execution. Full Review |
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2/5 |
Credibility isn't the problem with John Carpenter's They Live... but execution is. Full Review |
CommentLatest News for They Live
December 04, 2008:
They Live All Over Again 
Who will be all out of bubblegum this time? Universal has announced plans to remake John Carpenter's 1988 cult classic, "They Live." More...
April 17, 2008:
Total Recall: The 20 Greatest Fights Scenes Ever
The long-awaited showdown between Jackie Chan and Jet Li in The Forbidden Kingdom got us thinking; what are the greatest fights ever filmed? We sifted through quite a few... More...
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