The prequel to John Carpenter's The Thing has big shoes to fill and delivers admirably while falling short of surpassing the 1982 classic. With the aid of today's CGI, the prequel has the upper hand when it comes to creature effects and they are both grotesque and horrific. That alone carries the movie substantially, and most lovers of the genre will walk away fairly satisfied with their experience. Where the movie fails to achieve is in the realm of mood. There's none of the eeriness of Carpenter's version. It's fast-paced and thrilling but doesn't stop long enough to let the tension build. Perhaps that was the intent, but whether intentional or not, the movie does so at the sacrifice of generating real terror. In the end Carpenter's version reigns, but the prequel provides a fitting tribute and is well worth the price of admission.
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