By Robbie Graham Silver Screen Saucers
The Thing has opened in US cinemas today with critics failing to warm to the Antarctic-set sci-fi horror prequel. John Carpenter’s 1982 movie of the same name is regarded as a classic of its genre - a perfect movie - and so a frosty critical reception for this new version was to be expected.
Variety notes that, “Apart from [Mary Elizabeth] Winstead's flamethrower-toting paleontologist, bravely battling an extraterrestrial menace that hides inside its human prey, this unfrighteningly icky "Thing" is memorable mainly for illustrating CGI's gross deficiencies relative to old-fashioned makeup f/x.”
Slant Magazine was also unimpressed, finding the movie to be sorely lacking the tension of the 1982 version:
“Rather than attempt to recreate the precarious mix of psychological tension and gore struck by Carpenter's version, The Thing favors the latter, maintaining a sideline interest in suspense but no real devotion to prolonging it.”
The filmmakers can take solace in Salon’s review, however, which describes the movie as “a lovingly constructed tribute and companion to Carpenter’s 'Thing,' not a knockoff or a replica. It’s full of chills and thrills and isolated Antarctic atmosphere and terrific Hieronymus Bosch creature effects, and if it winks genially at the plot twists of Carpenter’s film, it never feels even a little like some kind of inside joke."
Not terrible, then, by any means – but perhaps a little redundant. Check back here at Silver Screen Saucers in a few days for a box-office report, and for more critics’ reviews of The Thing, head on over to Rotten Tomatoes.
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