Haunt-tober 2024 is here and it’s time to dive into the macabre, the strange and the frightful during this beloved time! Join me as I spend the month discussing new and classic films.
When you’re seen as a comparison to one of the best (and my personal favorite) horrors of all time (John Carpenter’s The Thing), as well as the classic The Thing From Another World, you’re at a disadvantage. Regardless of what you put on the screen, there is going to be critique.
I think that Matthijs van Heijningen Jr’s movie is an underrated prequel that puts a lot of effort into detail and continuity. It has a good cast and a story that makes sense given the events. So, why is it so disliked? Part of me wonders if it’s because it’s so similar while feeling innately different that avid fans can’t quite accept it.
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The plot is fairly comparable, but goes back to the start: A team of Norwegian scientists discover a buried alien spacecraft and a frozen organism, they unknowingly unleash a shape-shifting creature capable of imitating any living being it comes in contact with. As paranoia spreads through the camp, the scientists, led by paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), must figure out who is human and who is not before the alien escapes to the outside world. The film also stars Joel Edgerton, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Eric Christian Olson.
While the paranoia and isolation isn’t as on point, there is a moodiness that feels reminiscent of Carpenter’s. The biggest shift in the sequel is the move to special effects over practical, an obvious downgrade in comparison, but still effective. This is a film that has moments of uncertainty for sure, it plays homage but also feels too similar at times. Yet, despite this there’s an admiration for the attempt; The Thing is a well acted, tension filled ride.
While lacking in the formidable terror that John Carpenter’s The Thing excels in, there’s some details to appreciate. It’s not as good, yes, but look beneath the comparable flesh and you may discover something curious below.
Stay tuned for more Haunt-Tober fun!
What do you think? Please comment below!
