I enjoyed it too and like you, enjoyed the '82 version as well. Additionally, I also fetl that the CGI was inferior to the creature effects of the '82 somehow. Something just doesn't feel right if the monster is all CGI.

Regardless, I liked it.

As a fan of John Carpenter's version longer than I can remember. I just grew up with it. I LOVED this movie beginning to end.

payed insane attention to object placement, building layout, everything. It could all be one big movie.

SPOILERS
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Nothing negative to say except I feel things kicked off way too fast. I feel there should have been another few scenes before it broke out of the ice.

I like how they left it open for another sequel. I would imagine the thing would be able to attain memory by replicating the cells in the brain as perfectly as it is said to. How else would they know names like the woman did? That being said. This brings to light a 50/50 situation with the base that "mr. ear ring" talked about when they spoke of what to do next. Either that base really exists, something 50 miles away (didn't he say russian?) which could be true, based on memories replicated. Or it could be made up and actually have been the US outpost, leaving our protagonists destination unknown, creating the possibility of a sequel.

I would however, like to know whether or not the game is considered actual canon at this point. I would think not. But I would have no problem if a general story was kept. That would mean RJ McCready was in-fact infected, throwing the whereabouts of the infected on its head. It wouldn't entirely make sense though since he fights a thing one on one. Unless it happened after him and Childs sat down and the movie ended.

Either way. If I had a choice. I would choose to leave this series as it is. It's literally the perfect ending. And a prequel that defied all odds and had me 100% on board. I am very critical and I went into this movie expecting a let down after IGN's completely fucking retarded excuse for a review. They clearly weren't even paying attention. That was not the case. I loved this movie all the way through.

Right moves:

-They never show us the creature in its natural form. A mild silhouette now and then in the ice, or after its charred. We never knew though.

-Believable characters. Lars had me believing his role. And the doctor. Conflicts of judgment played out well.

-Not bringing in a new direction or element. best move they could have made.

Side note:
IGN threw me for a loop when (SPOILERS STILL) they claimed the thing replicated inorganic matter. What morons. It was never claimed, nor did it show anything. My brain just assumed that since the creature was present to learn that the humans learned of the tooth fillings and inorganic matter, that it had to retain the ear ring and put it on post-transformation, thus the wrong ear and the exposed antagonist.

IGN = Braindead.

10/10 coming from a critical fan. I will be getting the Blu-ray on day 1