The Thing

You know, I had no idea that this week's films were remakes, until I started writing my review. Really!! I know it sounds difficult to believe, but it just turned out that way. Now with the remake of "The Thing" it was just a higher tech, more CGI and more graphic type of film than its predecessor, John Carpenter's 1982 version of the same name.

Paranoia spreads like an epidemic among a group of researchers as they're infected, one by one, by a mystery alien from another planet. Paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) has traveled to the desolute region of Antarctica, by invite of Dr. Sander Halvorson (Ulrich Thomsen) for the expedition of her lifetime. Joining a fellow scientist, Adam (Eric Christian Olsen) and a Norwegian team that has stumbled across an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice, she discovers an organism that seems to have died in the crash years ago. But it is about to wake up.

When a simple experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate must join the crew's pilot, Carter (Joel Edgerton) to keep it from killing them off one at a time. And in this vast, intense land, a parasite can mimic anything it touches and will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish as with any living thing.

Others to round out the cast are Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Jameson, another pilot, Paul Braunstein as Griggs, Trond Espen Seim as Edvard Wolner, Kim Bubbs as Juliette, Jorgen Langhelle as Lars, Jan Gunnar Roise as Olav, Stig Henrik Hoff as Peder, Kristofer Hivju as Jonas, Jo Adrian Haavind as Henrik, Carsten Bjornlund as Karl, and Jonathan Lloyd Walker as Colin.

As aforementioned, Carpenter's 1982 version was way ahead of its time, visually and special make-up effects which were created by Rob Bottin. The special make-up effects in this version were by the creative team of Alex Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr., and they were stunning. Coupled with the visual effects predominantly by Mr. X,inc., this version soared. But as far as the intensity, which this was, I felt the '82 version just edged out the 'keeping you on the edge of your seat' feeling.

This was directed by virtual newcomer Matthijs van Heijningen, and considering his lack of experience, this guy is going places. His pacing, lighting and intensity can only get better. I've seen seasoned directors with less quality. It was written by Eric Heisserer based the short story, "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell Jr.

If you're going to see this, better to see it on the large screen for the incredible effects. However, if you've seen the '82 version, and you go to see this, I can't help but think that you will be yearning to see the other version shortly thereafter. 

Out 4 stars: 3                      Rated: R                        103min.