The Thing (2011).

I'm not saying that Nightbreed (1990), Exorcist III (1990), Freejack (1992) Exorcist The Beginning (2005), Dominion (2005) and many many more would have been perfection if they hadn't been Morgan Creek Productions but they do have a track record.

Certainly this film would have been improved with a bit more characterisation and a slower build up, it would have been improved with less obvious CGI and an even more bleak ending.

All these things were there until Morgan Creek previewed the film (as they have done with so many other films) and adjusted the film to the preview score card.

What is left isn't bad.

Ennio Morricone's music for the first film is sadly missing here (the few times it's riffed are like a window being opened in a stuffy room) but the performances are generally good and the photography isn't gimmicky and looks nice and crisp.

Ulrich Thomsen uncannily resembles Anthony Ainley with a die job.

There are nice nods to continuity throughout but the overall effect of the piece is little more than mildly diverting.

The one death I wanted to see explained was the radio man (Colin in this film) in the first film he is found with a deep slit to his throat and both of his wrists.

If you have ever tried this at home its actually rather difficult to self inflict entirely.

Sadly there is no onscreen exploration of the possibilities of this corpse.

I would pay to see this film again with all the good stuff put in and the bad stuff taken out but I imagine if form is followed Morgan Creek will either lose the original materials or not pay for the necessary post production on a special edition.

It also points up the sound logic of not making Prometheus a direct prequel to Alien.

2 faces.