faithful to John Campbell

Rating: Null/10 (26 October 2001)

Carpenter's remake of "The Thing" is faithful to John Campbell's 1939 story, "Who Goes There?". Carpenter modifies that which requires modification because of the passage of time (a helicopter, stored blood, computers), but retains the essential qualities and paranoia which were the keys in Campbell's story. Russell's anti-hero, McReady, is a survivor as is his extraterrestial opponent. Wilfred Brimley is
convincing as the biologist, Blair. The supporting cast is, for the most part, believable as a motley collection of men in an isolated scientific outpost.
But it is the subtlety of Carpenter's hand which makes the film. The clues are laid in front of the viewer, and the viewer invariably misses them (the noose in Blair's isolation cabin as Blair pleads to come back inside; the beautifully simple test McReady gives Childs at the end of the film which shows, unbeknown to Childs -- and 99% of the viewers -- that Childs is still a human).
A clever, simple film which succeeds not on special effects, prurient interest or budget -- it succeeds because it cleverly plays on our basic doubts about those around us and our fear the people we trust are not acting in our best interests. Maybe they are out to get us . ..