The Thing (2011)
It's not human. Yet.
When paleontologist Kate Lloyd travels to an isolated outpost in Antarctica for the expedition of a lifetime, she joins an international team that unearths a remarkable discovery. Their elation quickly turns to fear as they realize that their experiment has freed a mysterious being from its frozen prison. Paranoia spreads like an epidemic as a creature that can mimic anything it touches will pit human against human as it tries to survive and flourish in this spine-tingling thriller.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 12 October 2011 |
| Genre | Horror, Science Fiction, Mystery |
| Director | Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. |
| Starring | Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton and Ulrich Thomsen |
| Runtime | 103 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 5/10 · Metacritic 49/100 · Rotten Tomatoes 34% · TMDB users 6.3/10 |
| Budget | $38 million |
Where to watch The Thing
The Thing is streaming on Peacock ($16.99 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Peacock is $16.99 at list price.
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Rent or buy
You can rent or buy The Thing on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch The Thing in 1 other country
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Japan | Hulu, U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
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What kind of watch this is
The Thing is a 2011 horror film that swaps out the alien invasion for a frozen trap in Antarctica. You spend the 103 minutes watching a team of researchers slowly lose their minds to a parasite that wears their faces. The terror comes from the fact that you cannot trust a single person in the room. It is a tight, claustrophobic puzzle where the monster is less a threat than a mirror.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes sits at 34% with an average of 5/10. Metacritic offers a 49/100 Metascore. It is a competent prequel that respects its predecessor's premise. Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune noted it works because it exhibits a little patience. The consensus calls it a slave to the superior John Carpenter version. That is a high bar to clear, and this one trips over the finish line.
How it did with audiences
The Thing cost $38 million and took in $27 million. It opened at $8.5 million, held the top 10 for one week, and then fell to 16th. Box Office Mojo called it "an outright disappointment," noting that a vague "thing" offers little for audiences to latch onto. TMDB users rate it 6.3 out of 10.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Thing.
Read more: The Thing · Alien: Romulus · Event Horizon
Sources
- The Thing on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q909749 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Thing (2011 film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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