The Thing

Just back from seeing the prequel come remake of The Thing.  Not a bad film with some pretty landscape shots.  Unfortunately far too keen to show off the alien, the alien human hybrids and the space ship.  Also suffered from too many clichés.   Most of the “shocks” were very effectively spoilt by an overly obvious pre-shock – man in nervous situation, someone shouts boo at him then after a slow count to five the alien bursts out of its icy home.  Similarly lazy dialogue.  A shame because the potential for horror by building paranoia in a small group cut off from outside help lurks through the film.

Can someone explain why a geological expedition to Antarctica in 1982 has two flamethrowers, a box of grenades and at least one assault rifle?  Were they afraid some polar bears might migrate from the Artic?

Also suffered from the makers having watched Alien one too many time and wanting their very own Ripley to play with in a sequel to their prequel they left open in the first of their two endings.  The second ending cut into the credits pretty much sets up the original film.

The Thing is not a bad film overall but not one I’ll be planning to see again.