John Carpenter called the prequel 'The Thing' 2011 a 'klomza', but some viewers defend it.
- Carpenter called the backstory of 2011 a 'clomzy'
- The film only made $31.5 million and received 34% from critics
- The studio replaced practical effects with CGI, which caused criticism.
- The director acknowledged the mistake in using CGI in post-production
At a recent panel discussion at FanExpo in Chicago, horror film legend John Carpenter gave a harsh assessment of the backstory to his famous 1982 film 'The Thing'. According to him, the 2011 film is a 'clomza', in which, in the director's opinion, unsuccessful digital effects and a ridiculous 'tooth test' were used instead of the classic blood analysis.
What is the background of 2011
The film directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. and written by Eric Heisserer is positioned as a direct prequel to the original masterpiece from 1982. The plot unfolds at a Norwegian research station in Antarctica, where a team of scientists discovers a parasitic alien life form buried in the ice. Despite an interesting premise, the film failed to attract a wide audience.
The film's budget was not disclosed; however, the box office totaled only $31.5 million worldwide, which is considered a failure for a project with such a well-known franchise. On the aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film received 34% from critics and 43% from audiences. IGN rated it 5 out of 10, pointing to excessive bloodiness, unsuccessful CGI scenes, and a lack of tension in the final act.
The reaction of Carpenter and Kurt Russell
During the panel session, Carpenter was unreserved: 'They made a sequel... The Norwegian camp – have you seen that klomza? Digital effects, tooth test... it's just unreal.' Kurt Russell, who starred in the original film, supported his colleague, stating that Carpenter 'does not tolerate fools.'
However, not everyone agreed with the harsh assessment. Some fans noted that the film's problem lies not with the creative team, but with the studio's decisions, which replaced practical effects with CGI. According to them, the original practical models created by Amalgamated Dynamics were deemed 'outdated' and replaced with computer graphics, which worsened the visual component.
Fans also mention the existence of working versions of the film with original practical effects, stored in studio archives. They call for their release and remastering so that viewers can see a more authentic version of the film.
Recognition of the director and future plans
The director Matthias van Heijningen himself admitted the mistake in an interview with Syfy Wire in 2023: "We found ourselves in a situation where the animatronics looked outdated, and the CGI was not good enough. The decision to digitally enhance in post-production turned out to be wrong." He expressed regret that practical models were replaced and noted that without this replacement, the film could have received more positive reviews.
Thus, despite the negative assessment from the creator of the original film, the 2011 prequel remains a subject of debate in the fan community. The question of a possible release of the original practical effects remains open, and the discussion about the role of CGI in modern remakes continues.
Source: IGN
