I really have an affection for this truly campy, cheaply-made, cheesy film from the early 80's. Wes Craven, before he hits it real big, obviously has some directorial flair, but there is a lot here that is atypical of his work. The special effects are really cheap, I mean, aside from the Swamp Thing outfit, everything else is very badly done from the hideous, cowardly midget to the overblown, terrible outfit of another "fearsome" monster that personifies the very essence of evil - or so we are told. It would be very easy to dissect this film for all of its obvious faults, but what I do like is that it has that feel of an old sci-fi film from years gone by - good vs. evil. It has some decent acting and set locations. Louis Jourdan plays the suave villain as well as anybody and David Hess(Last House on the Left fame) plays a despicable henchman with few peers. And Adrienne Barbeau? She bares it and is beautiful in all forms of undress as her cleavage barely manages to stay on as she runs through swampland. She plays Alice Cable, a love interest for the Swamp Thing, a creation of serendipity and scientific experimentation. The story, loosely based on a comic book, is liberally dosed with action, inane dialog, and what you would expect for a film of this ilk, but all enjoyable. I enjoyed the character of Jude too, played with an innocence to acting(and perhaps talent) that few films would allow but comes off I think. Besides, Adrienne Barbeau is in it - this is one of the few times I really would like to have Cable!
