I forget how much I enjoy Swamp Thing. It's goofy, but the film embraces that goofiness and becomes a modern "B" monster movie. Starring B-movie queen Adrienne Barbeau, this film is based on the DC comic by the same name. Dr. Alec Holland is working in the swamps, attempting to mix plant and animal DNA. Just as Alice Cable (Barbeau) arrives on the scene, he stumbles onto an amazing, explosive formula. As it would happen, the evil Dr. Arcane arrives at the same time, capturing Holland, Cable, and the formula. Holland, however, attempts to escape with the formula, and in the chaos that ensues, the formula is dropped and explodes. Dr. Holland, engulfed in flames, runs into the swamps, apparently to his death. He re-emerges, however, as Swamp Thing.

I don't think this film (directed by Wes Craven, incidentally) is intended to be taken completely seriously, and if it is watched in that vein, it is completely enjoyable. Barbeau plays the love interest well; Louis Jordan is completely comfortable as the obsessed villain, Arcane; Nicholas Worth plays to type as the stereotypical henchman; and even Dick Durock takes a good turn as the pitiable monster.

			See it if you can relax your standards a bit and just enjoy a modern monster movie. Don't see it if you're expecting an often serious, well-written comic to be adapted in same form.

© 2004 Jim Manchester