I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs n enjoyed the film as an action entertainer. Read about the underlying themes as years passed on but revisited it today. This movie is very relevant for today's time too n it is still very entertaining. The alley fight scene stayed with me since the late 80s. Roddy Piper n Keith David gave memorable performances.

This movie has many flaws, but underneath them all it has the basic core of a fantastic sci-fi movie. Remaking it could easily take is from slightly above average to GREAT.

The flaws:

1. One reviewer says this movie is a cheap shot at the Reagan era. That's probably true, but despite my being a conservative, I didn't mind this underlying tone. 2. The machismo, at time, is so over-the-top it's like watching a WWF wrestling match--which shouldn't be surprising due to Rowdy Roddy Piper (a pro-wrestler) playing the lead character. This probably was much of the reason they included the completely inane and mega-stupid fist fight between him and his best friend. What were they thinking? The only way the movie could have gotten more off track was if Vince McMahon or Hulk Hogan had made an appearance!

Despite this, the plot is FANTASTIC!!! The notion that the Earth is being secretly run by aliens who appear like us (due to amazing high tech devices) as well as humans who knowingly work with them simply because "it pays well" is so jaded and paranoid but so cool when you see it in action in the movie.

So, my advice is to watch it on tape and speed through the stupid fight sequence. Without that, the movie should get a 9.

Once upon a time, John Carpenter made great film after great film. It happened in the '70s, it happened in the '80s...and then mid-way through the '90s, something went wrong and he started turning out rubbish. Thankfully, THEY LIVE is one of his glory-day efforts, a cult film that manages to succeed despite a low, low budget. The reason? It's original. It might be yet another alien invasion flick at heart, but INDEPENDENCE DAY this is not. It's got brains, thought behind it, and genuine surprises throughout. It's also a satire of '80s consumerism just as biting as more 'worthy' flicks like American PSYCHO.

I really enjoyed the first half an hour, which steadfastly refuses to reveal ANYTHING that's going on. The viewer's wondering what the heck it's all about, and then Roddy puts on those sunglasses and BAM! – one of the best twists in screen history. I think so, anyway. I love the idea of the truth-revealing sunglasses and the aliens using the human race as cattle; I loved the wit of the posters and magazines reading stuff like 'CONSUME' and 'STAY ASLEEP'. It's logical, it's believable, and at the same time, it's a whole load of fun. Some people criticise the special effects in this film, particularly the simple blue-and-red masks that make up the alien faces. Nothing wrong with these. While the little UFOs may seem cheesy today, those aliens are VERY creepy. I watched this film as an impressionable 15 year old, and it creeped me out then; today it still creeps me out. Great use of monochrome photography adds to the illusion.

One of the most engaging things about this film is its low budget nature – it means Carpenter had to work harder on what is, I suspect, a labour of love. His synthesiser score, repeated throughout the film, is a familiar trademark, as is his icy humour. The casting of a wrestler in the leading role is guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows, but Roddy Piper is a likable presence who carries the film ably. It helps that he's supported by some acting stalwarts – Keith David reprising his hard-man role and Meg Foster as an icy is-she-or-isn't-she villainess. Halfway through the proceedings, the movie turns into a nostalgic '80s action-fest, complete with muscle men toting sub machine guns, explosions, and all manner of cheesiness. Highlights include a lengthy fist fight between our two heroes and any scene involving those aliens. A fantastically enjoyable oddity!