“The Thing” (2011) is essentially a setup for the iconic horror film, John Carpenter’s “The Thing” (1982). Both films focus on themes of paranoia, isolation, survival, and identity, set against the backdrop of the desolate and harsh Antarctic environment. They are also renowned for their creature effects, suspenseful atmospheres, and explorations of the horror genre.
In John Carpenter’s classic horror film, a group of American scientists stationed in the remote Antarctic outpost discover a strange creature buried in the ice. The creature, an alien life form with the ability to assimilate and mimic any biological entity it comes into contact with, quickly infiltrates their ranks, leading to a climate of growing paranoia and suspicion. The team must figure out who is still human and who has been replaced by “The Thing,” leading to a series of tense and terrifying confrontations. The movie is renowned for its practical special effects, sense of dread and suspense, and exploration of themes such as mistrust and identity.
This movie begins with the discovery of the ruins of a Norwegian research station. The Norwegian team has been wiped out, and their story is largely a mystery. However, the audience does know that they unearthed something in the ice that led to their demise, because the American team eventually faces the same threat.
“The Thing” (2011) fills in the backstory of the Norwegian team and how they discovered the alien creature in the first place. The film begins with the team finding an alien spaceship and an organism frozen in the ice near the ship. They bring the creature back to their base, where it thaws out and begins to attack the team members, replicating them one by one.
This prequel to the 1982 film reveals the events leading up to John Carpenter’s classic. A Norwegian research team in Antarctica discovers an alien spaceship buried in the ice, along with a frozen organism nearby. As they bring the creature back to their camp and it thaws, the horrifying truth comes to light: the creature is a shapeshifter that can perfectly mimic any living organism it absorbs. The team must fight for survival as paranoia ensues and it becomes increasingly difficult to determine who is still human and who has been replaced by the alien creature. The prequel essentially shows the chaos and horror that ensued at the Norwegian camp prior to the events shown in the original 1982 film. The film ends by linking directly with the opening scenes of the 1982 film, providing a cohesive narrative thread between the two stories.
However, it’s important to note that despite being a prequel, the 2011 film received mixed reviews, with some critics and fans feeling it didn’t quite live up to the tension and atmosphere of the original. Oddly, Carpenter is known for his outspokenness and often shares his opinions on films and other topics, but there doesn’t seem to be a documented statement specifically about the 2011 version of “The Thing.” Nonetheless, it provides an interesting perspective on the events leading up to the iconic Carpenter film, and with actors like Joel Edgerton and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, it’s easy to see why it’s worth the watch.