First thing that needs to be said about “The Thing”, this is not a remake, or a reboot. It’s a prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 “The Thing”, based on the novel “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell. That being said it needs to be held at the same standard as its 1982 sequel. Which this prequel falls flat. Lacking the key elements that made it’s predecessor, er, successor, the cult classic it’s become today, suspense, doubt and terror. The series is based around an alien parasitic organism that has the ability through grotesque absorption to make an exact copy; looks, voice, and thoughts, of its host. Which will then infiltrate and infect others, leading to the paranoia of nobody is who they seem to be.
Beginning three days before the events of it’s sequel. Columbian paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) is recruited by Norwegian scientist Sander Halvesen (Ulrich Thomsen, Fringe) and his assistant Adam Goodman (Eric Christian Olsen, Beerfest) to travel the snowy wastelands of the Antarctic. Where the Norwegian science team has discovered not only a crashed alien spacecraft, but also incased in ice, it’s seemingly dead pilot.
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| Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Kate Lloyd |
Director Matthijs van Heijningen, does a fine job capturing the look of the ’82 film. Building everything to eventually look exactly like how it looks when Kurt Russell’s character from the sequel flies to investigate what befell the unlucky Norwegians who discovered the alien. Where this movie fails is in it’s writing. Written by Eric Heisserer (who also wrote the the lack-luster remake of Nightmare on Elm Street), “The Thing” tries (much like the monster it’s about) to mimic its sequel. Following a beat-for-beat formula of the original; even copying certain memorable scenes from it’s sequel, but at the same time tries to be it’s own entity. Which works for two thirds of the film, until it takes a severe left turn and becomes less of a horror movie and more of an action film while the few survivors hunt the Thing down.
The sequel succeeds in the doubt that no one is who they could be. Anyone, even the main protagonist could be the Thing. Its the mystery that makes the movie fun. As you watch characters who know and trust each other so well, immediately turn on one another. The prequel doesn’t deliver that mystery. It’s not hard to figure out who is the Thing monster and who’s not. Which just boils down to poor lazy writing.
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| Joel Edgerton as Baxter Carter |
The cast does a good job with what they are given. Winstead does very well portraying the main protagonist, similar to Sigorney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley from the “Alien” series. An intentional choice so not to take the flame away from Kurt Russell’s character in the sequel. Which is interesting choice since the the lead male protagonist, Baxter Carter (Joel Edgerton, Smoking Aces) looks almost identical to an 1980’s Kurt Russell.
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| Kurt Russell as R.J. MacReady in the 1982 sequel |
The Thing monster it’s self is brought to life entirely through computer animation. A luxury that wasn’t available in 1892, forcing John Carpenter to relay heavily on extreme makeup, and puppeteer work. Watching the Thing monster rip apart it’s human form to become the hideous deformed alien creature inside is jaw dropping with how life-like it looks. And 29 years later is still hard to watch. Watching the same thing done entirely in CG reminds the audience just how fake it is, in turn making it less scary. Relaying only on CG it’s 2011 prequel fails at capturing the essence. Feeling like its just the next thing that happens in the movie, only because the audience knows it’s coming.
As a film it stands on it’s own two feet well enough. The newer generation who haven’t seen the 1982 sequel will walk out of the theater feeling it was just an alright movie. Those who have seen the sequel and fans of John Carpenters film will walk out of this movie very disappointed and wishing they had just watched the original instead. Because knowing the beginning of the ’82 sequel makes this film pointless to watch. Save your money and rent John Carpenters far superior “The Thing”.
"The Thing" is rated R for strong creature violence and gore, disturbing images, and language.
*Pictures Copyright of Universal Pictures
