This prequel needed to be an amazing film in order to come close to John Carpenter's 1982 classic, and whilst it is moderately successfully, its weaknesses stem from not only the weight of expectation but also from its own shortcomings. There are commendable aspects on display: the creature's awakening and first attack are promising; leads Joel Edgerton and Mary Elizabeth Winstead do good work throughout; efforts to dovetail with details of forthcoming events are pleasing; and there is some good body horror on display (even if it is not as groundbreaking as it was back in the 80s, and the CGI is not too unpalatable). The paranoia/horror-from-within angle kicks in rather late, but when it does, it lifts the film considerably from the straightforward monster-movie that is the first half. This version lacks the gravitas of the original's small band of seasoned character actors, and the dialogue is nowhere near as sharp here. There are many moments where the easy shock is used and tension is frittered away instead of making audience and characters suffer more, an obvious example being the substitute for the classic 'blood test' scene which, although a good idea, is less dynamic and considerably less nerve-shredding, and the movie's ending is vague rather than open. The Thing 2011 is at best adequate, and it has some effective moments and ideas, ending up as an appropriate if slightly underwhelming companion piece to a movie classic.
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