The Thing

Play trailer

The Thing

R

2011

1h 43m

Horror

Sci-Fi

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

34%

Tomatometer

171 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

After Norwegian researchers discover an alien ship buried in the ice, paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) joins the team at the isolated Arctic outpost to investigate. She finds an organism that appears to have perished in the crash eons ago but, in fact, is about to awake. Freed from its icy prison, the insidious life-form goes on the attack. Paranoia spreads like wildfire among the crew as they fight to survive against a creature that assumes the shapes of its victims.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

It serves the bare serviceable minimum for a horror flick, but The Thing is all boo-scares and a slave to the far superior John Carpenter version.

Read Critics Reviews

Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

01/27/2012

2/4

It reduces things to nothing more than a highlight reel of terror, none of it particularly scary even if what is being presented is done so with a fair amount of skill.

Go to Full Review

Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

12/02/2011

2/5

This isn't the real Thing; keep it at bay.

Go to Full Review

Phelim O'Neill

Guardian

12/01/2011

2/5

Whatever good intentions were behind this prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 classic, the sloppy execution renders them moot.

Go to Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

Sep 9

2/5

Not only were audiences confused over whether this was a prequel or a reboot, but the film itself also didn't seem to know whether it wanted to do its own thing or just recycle tried-and-true sequences that made Carpenter's film so original.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

04/27/2023

2/4

It’s actually a prequel to the 1982 movie, leading one to wonder why they didn’t more accurately name it The Thing: The Beginning, The Thing: The Early Days or even I Was a Teenage Thing.

Go to Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

03/07/2023

2/4

Van Heijningen’s new film can’t decide if it wants to elaborate on Carpenter’s version or pay homage to it, and that indecision is where the fault lies.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Jett H

@Jettplane Feb 22

I wouldn’t compare it too the old one but if you loved the old one and want more of that exact same vibe this does it easily and well

See more

mean s

@MeanOne Jan 8

This is a well made film. I saw the original in 1982. This movie is a worthy prequal. Watch it.

See more

Jeff H

@JeffANH Dec 31

Brilliant prequel, ties everything up perfectly and leads you seamlessly into the original.

See more

Gregory S

@Gregory566 Nov 16

I enjoyed the movie, but no, not as good as the first. My primary issue was the CGI instead of practical effects, plus a couple of other things that I do not want to spoil. It is worth a watch though.

See more

Harry H.

@Movies10 Oct 20

You know what layoff I like this movie i dont perfur it over the 82 film but it was this 2011 film that lead me to the 82 film an eventually the 51 Howard Hawks film so I owe this film plus I would love to see that original "pilot" version of this film with the practical effects an the original ending RELEASE THE PILOT CUT!!!

See more

Michael P

@Michael-jai Oct 7

What made the first movie charming was the obscurity and the gross practical effects. This was too clear, sane, and too precise for a movie that defies the characters realities and picks at their brain.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.

Director

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Dr. Kate Lloyd

Joel Edgerton

Carter

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

Jameson

Trond Espen Seim

Edvard Wolner

Ulrich Thomsen

Dr. Sander Halvorson

Prometheus

73%

68%

Prometheus

Watchlist

Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus

19%

20%

Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus

Watchlist

Alien: Covenant

65%

55%

Alien: Covenant

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Alien: Covenant

Morgan

38%

30%

Morgan

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Morgan

The Mist

74%

65%

The Mist

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Mist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Killer Body Count Guide

Critics Consensus: Footloose is Toe-Tapping Fun

View more photos

Synopsis

After Norwegian researchers discover an alien ship buried in the ice, paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) joins the team at the isolated Arctic outpost to investigate. She finds an organism that appears to have perished in the crash eons ago but, in fact, is about to awake. Freed from its icy prison, the insidious life-form goes on the attack. Paranoia spreads like wildfire among the crew as they fight to survive against a creature that assumes the shapes of its victims.

Director: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.
Producer: Marc Abraham, Eric Newman
Screenwriter: Eric Heisserer
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Strike Entertainment
Rating: R (Gore|Disturbing Images|Language|Strong Creature Violence)
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 14, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $16.9M
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby SRD, DTS

Most Popular at Home Now