It’s really an amazing piece of work, balancing terror, suspense, humor, and pathos. We don’t see the big ol’ monster full on until near the end. We don’t need to; there are plenty of nasty little monsters running around, jumping and clamping on people. A race through a subway tunnel, including a fight with these parasites (which apparently drop off the Big Thing) is truly edge-of-your-seat stuff.

Ironically, though the characters don’t seem to know from God, on the brink of death, they cry for His mercy: “I’msorryI’msorryohI’msorryohgodpleaseforgiveme!” I found this string of almost unintelligible prayer very telling, very realistic, and almost unbearably sad. Movie monsters come and go; passe one day, chasing your meat the next. But God–and human guilt before Him–remain.

Go preach that Gospel, kids. The monsters are still out there.