Set as a prequel to John Carpentar’s ’80s version, we find ourselves following the events that took place at the Norwegian Antarctic base, (or the Crazy Swedes as MacReady liked to call them) as they uncover under a hundred thousand years of ice an alien space craft. Unbeknownst to them, and fully known to those have seen the 1982 version, the jubilation that the Norwegian Scientists feel on the discovery of not only the craft itself but what appear to be the remains of an alien life form frozen in the ice, will come to a horrifying end.
A lot of this film seemed familiar, with iconic visuals from the ’82 version filling up the screen and it definitely had the feel that this version was originally intended to be a remake and not a sequel.
My biggest fear, however, on seeing this version was, other than the fact that the producers (Dawn of the Dead remake) didn’t readily attempt to get the SFX wiz, Rob Bottin; to try and coax him back to film and away from real estate, and over use the CGI. While there was an abundance of CGI use, surprisingly there was actual SFX make-up when it came to the alien. The SFX team did, thankfully, keep the LOVECRAFTIAN aesthetics that made the Thing one of a kind.
Another surprise, was that the practically unknown cast (with Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje from LOST fame be the most notable) carried off the film extremely well. I was ready to walk out of the theater hating this movie. The Carpenter version is one of my all time favorite horror films, and one that still stands the test of time when it comes to story and SFX. Will this one have the same effect thirty years removed from it’s opening? Doubtful, but the 2011’s “The Thing” is still a fun film to sit in a darken theater and see.
I give the “The Thing” 3 severed heads out 5.
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