Review of The Thing (2011) by William G — 30 Jun 2014

I think we can all agree this was never going to meet the lofty expectations that all (most?) us fans of the original version had for this remake, and sure it certainly doesn't bring anything groundbreaking to the genre but hear me out... it's not all bad!

People don't always want a prequel. Sometimes (Star Wars Episodes 1-3 spring to mind...) they simply lessen, or in extreme examples irreperably damage, the tones, message and feel of the 'originals'. However, done well, they can work exceptionally well to flesh out and transforms aspects of the film they precede. I think when The Thing came out the mystery that surrounded the Norwegian base was something that really fascinated audiences and made the film feel that much more ominous, and whilst you could argue that leaving it as a mystery only helps to improve the 1982 version I think the prequel does a reasonably worthy job of expanding on that storyline.

It makes sense from a storyline perspective, leaving (almost) no loose ends which change the impact of the 1982 film and whilst it does unfortunately rely a little too much on 'jump-scares' and less on the psychological terror aspect which made the original so brilliant it still places itself quite firmly and comfortably in the pile of suspense horror films.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this film is the use of Mary Elizabeth Winstead in a pseudo-ripley role who, unlike the macho MacReady, is both an authoritative and intelligent figure.

The supporting cast is passable and best, although I did like Joel Edgerton fulfilling the MacReady role and thought he had a fairly decent go at it and the creature, and its human transformations, are visually rather stunning; making up in sheer grotesqueness what they lacked in 1980's animatronic charm.

Overall I think the remake/prequel of The Thing is worth watching if you want a bit more backstory to the 1982 version and you're a fan of the classic 'whodunit' style of horror movies.