March 1: The Thing

"At an Antarctica research site, the discovery of an alien craft leads to a confrontation between graduate student Kate Lloyd and scientist Dr. Sander Halvorson."

   One of the first things (hehe) I ever notice when I watch a horror movie is how large the cast is. Logically, the more people, the more deaths, thus the more horror and more awesome. Luckily, The Thing (mind you the 2011 version), has a large cast and, yes, it certainly does mean a lot of deaths. The special effects are very good, the acting is "just enough" and the characters are actually fairly smart for being in a horror movie. When the creature falls, they decide to burn it until it's nothing. Sure, it keeps coming back, but the actual idea of burning the villain until there's nothing left is the kind of thing you yell at the screen, hoping characters in the horror movies actually do what you're shouting. 

Hoarse voices and scratchy throats, the cause- too many stupid people in the movies

   The 1982 version of The Thing is a horror classic, with elaborate, animatronic special effects and a continued sense of paranoia and claustrophobia. Plus, it has Kurt Russell. Now, you think, why would anyone take something so good and decide to do more with it, instead of leaving it untouched? Well, it is Hollywood, but the new The Thing, a prequel, actually adds a decent chunk of history behind the story set up by Russell and crew. Remember the "crazy" Norwegians at the beginning of the '82 The Thing that were chasing a dog? Well the '11 The Thing is everything leading up to and including that scene. It all comes together pretty damn well and definitely made me want to re-watch Kurt Russell kicking some alien ass. 

Hell, I'd re-watch it for that beard alone. 

   Overall, The Thing is enjoyable and adds a decent amount of backstory to an already engaging movie. The violence is constant, as are the awesome special effects. The film may be an addition to the franchise, but even then, the story is a little weak and slightly recycled. There are moments that are fresh and smart, but then there are a handful that may have been trying to pay homage to the '82 The Thing, but end up making it feel almost remake-ity (yes, new word added to my dictionary). I would recommend the film, not just as a prequel to the '82 The Thing, but as a stand alone movie itself. 

The Good:

damn good special effects 

The Bad:

the effects from the '82 version are still better 

The Ugly:

not the strongest story, but still somewhat solid

Overall: 7.2/10

Best Quote:

Lars: "We found a fucking alien! Cheers!"

What To Look For:

a scene featuring the creature fusing a couple people together, through his ridiculously terrifying absorption abilities