SPLATTERdrome

Release Date: October 14th, 2011

Director: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.

Screenwriter: Eric Heisserer

Genre: Horror/Science fiction

 

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The words ‘remake’ and ‘prequel’ are both much maligned in the horror community and here we have a little of both. The Thing is essentially the same film as John Carpenter’s 1982 feature but with updated special effects, a broader visual scope, and a more diverse cast. It is also the telling of those events which led up to Carpenter’s film, shedding light on the initial discovery of the alien craft and the specific events which led to the ruin of the Norwegian camp that is discovered in the prior film. 

 

The Thing strikes a fine balance between reimagining and emulating Carpenter’s film without ripping it off. Granted, the same basic events and discoveries occur in both films but there is a high degree of variance between the two and some elements are actually improved upon here. For instance, the autopsy scenes do a better job showcasing the process of cellular imitation the creature engages in with its victims. The alien design doesn’t match the virtuosic imagination of Rob Bottin but is still effective and echoes the aesthetic we’ve come to know. Also the biological transformation alien and victim undergo together is explained a little better in this version. Using non-organic matter to determine who is human is a nice variation on the blood test from the last film and is a clearer illustration of the creature and its methods than the shredded laundry which so troubled Kurt Russell's crew. 

 

Again, I can’t say enough about how satisfying the intelligence of these characters is for me. Sure there are some cliches at work like the overzealous scientist and brave helicopter pilot but largely the cast are plausible, well reasoned and in control of their response to the situation. The path from discovery to action is probably too similar to the last film but its executed well so I don’t see any point in complaining. I generally feel that if something is done properly it need not always be groundbreaking.

 

The one thing that holds The Thing back is its heavy use of CGI for the creature effects. In some places it’s necessary but mostly I feel cheated of the masterful puppets and overall creativity that made Carpenter’s version so memorable. It’s a real mixed bag because these sequences will unquestionably date the film but they also allow us to see more graphic and elaborate transformations in brightly lit sets, something that Carpenter’s film did not offer.

 

I give this film extra points because of the high attention to detail. The Thing works hard to recreate scenes and sets from the original and although it doesn’t quite nail everything, the overall impact is extraordinarily successful. Props and artifacts from the previous film are recreated well and watching the two films back-to-back creates a true cohesion that would not have been possible if these filmmakers were phoning it in. Much like Carpenter’s film there are a few elements which are overindulgent (the final climax inside the spaceship comes to mind) but it’s hard to gripe over minor dislikes when the overall project is so satisfying. 

 

The Thing may be the world’s first ‘re-quel’ and considering that the filmmakers ambitiously chose to build on a genre classic I’d say they did a fine job. Much like the creature itself this film cannot properly emulate every aspect of its goal but it did well enough to convince me along the way.