The Thing (2011)

A rather uninspired remake of the original. Though it tries its best to capture the best of the 1982 film the writers seem trapped in cliche hell, imitating the cult classic but relying on tired narrative devices. The characters, though motivated to survive, seem to lack any sort of opinion about the situation, only there to scream when needed. All this is a damn shame as the cast are excellent and certainly don't deserve the writing and direction handed to them. The film is set just before the original, telling the story of the Norwegian research station and how it came to be in the state it was found in the 82 film. Sadly not much thought has gone into this as the set, equipment and dialogue all place this firmly in the present. Go watch the original first. If you've already seen it then watch it again.

Terrible remake. To call it a prequel is a very far stretch of the imagination. A bad copy of the original with Norwegians, a terrible English actor, non essential Americans and a couple of women thrown in. The special effects are computer generated which adds to the pantomime style of acting. All in all a real missed opportunity.

Except for one very brief gory scene in the shower, there is no blood on display. In lieu of gore, the audience is a tad short changed as director Matthijs Van Heljningen and screenwriter Eric Heisserer replace the gore with slime. The innovative creature effects are great. Mary Elizabeth Winstead makes for a strong, intelligent heroine, showing grit and determination.