Great singular examples of craftsmanship in an otherwise vapid film !!!

Rating: 5/10 (21 April 2016)

'The Thing' was one of those big cinematic blind spots for me. This film like many cult classics didn't enjoy critical or box office success at the time of its release, but has gradually over the years become a very popular and loved movie. This was my first viewing of the film and my review is based on a single viewing.
I don't think it is possible to watch 'The Thing' and not get reminded of Ridley Scott's 'Alien'. Both films came out in round about the same time within a span of 3 years. Both films are about a team of people isolated in the middle of nowhere being hounded by an alien monster. However, 'The Thing' didn't impress me anywhere near as much as 'Alien' does every time I watch it.
Let me first point out the elements of the film that I liked. The practical effects that are on show in the film are some of the best ever put on screen. There are moments of sheer terror due to the convincing nature of the practical effects. Another positive aspect of the film is that John Carpenter really knows how to build up the tension. He knows how to subtly move the camera or hold a shot for just the right amount of time to create a sense of dread in the mind of the viewer. Another great aspect of the film is the dog that we meet right at the beginning. Carpenter somehow got the dog to perform as well as any animal I have ever seen perform on screen.
My problems with the film stem from the lack of depth in the script and lack of depth in the characters. 'Alien' works so well because it has so much going on underneath the monster film surface. It is a commentary on the gradual loss of human qualities in the age of capitalism along with the exploration of disturbing themes like rape and unwanted pregnancies. Unfortunately I did not find any subtext in 'The Thing'. I have read some articles where people have tried to find an allegory for the Cold War, but I just didn't observe any depth in the screenplay to think along those lines.
Another huge problem is that I found the characters to be very bland with no depth what so ever. In 'Alien' we don't get much back story about the characters either, but Ridley Scott used multiple scenes where we found the characters engaging in small talk and being as realistic as possible allowing us to relate with them. 'The Thing' has almost no quiet scenes where the characters are talking about ordinary, banal stuff. That just didn't make the characters interesting enough and since the characters weren't compelling enough, I found myself losing interest slowly and at the climax of the film I really got bored.
As I wrote earlier, this review contains my opinions about the film after watching it once. I might change my stance with subsequent viewings. But right now, I have to say 'The Thing' left me underwhelmed.