The Thing (2011)

Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen, Eric Christian Olsen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Paul Braunstein
Directed by: Matthijs van Heijningen, Jr.
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction
2011

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: At an Antarctica research station, a group of scientists uncover a strange creature that definitely isn't human.

Review:

Tim: The Thing is an interesting film. It certainly seems like a remake, coming almost 30 years after 1982's The Thing (which was a remake of 1951's The Thing From Another World) and it has the same name as that film. However, this movie isn't a remake, it's a prequel. By the way, has a prequel ever had the same name as the original film? This movie really should have been called something else, because as is, it seems like a generic horror movie remake.

However, that's not what this film is at all. It's actually a very interesting film that shows what happens before the events of the 1982 movie, and connects extremely well with that film. While I don't like remakes, I look a prequels with a bit of a kinder view. They aren't always good, but they can be interesting, as they expand on the world made familiar by the original film. This film is certainly interesting and I enjoyed seeing events that were only hinted at in the original.

While this movie is a prequel, it feels similar in tone to the original. We have a group of scientists in an isolated research facility in Antarctica. The thing comes to life and starts killing people. They discover it's ability to copy its prey, and then they turn on each other, suspicious about who is human and who is not. Finally, there's a climactic battle between the survivors and the thing. This is unfortunate, as the movie is fairly predictable. While it doesn't follow the expected script exactly, more or less, we know where it's going.

The cast is fine, but few standouts. I really did like Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the lead role. It was a nice change to have a female as the main protagonist, replacing Kurt Russell. She's good here and I liked seeing her in this film. She's not fantastic, but she works well enough in the role. I also enjoyed seeing Joel Edgerton in the film as well. I think he has the qualities to really be a star, and he worked well here. His part was a bit too close to Kurt Russell's character for my liking, but Edgerton makes the part his own and did a good job. The rest of the supporting cast wasn't fantastic. I am a big Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje fan, but he didn't have much to do here.

The Thing has some good moments. There's definitely some very tense, nerveracking moments. I like how the film paid homage to the original while also giving its own twist on famous scenes. The blood test scene was one of the best of the '82 film, and I liked how this film made a similar but unique scene. The fillings were a terrific addition.

While this film expands the world of the thing and gives us a closer look at the events leading up to the 1982 film, it doesn't feel unique enough to stand up on its own. I still wonder why this movie needed to be made and why I should care one way or another. The film is decently entertaining, but there's not much to get really excited about. I enjoyed it, but it's still too flawed to be very good.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Thing From Another World, The Thing (1982)