Man-Thing (2005)

User Rating:

4.1/10   

Director:

Brett Leonard

Writers (WGA):

Steve Gerber (character)
Hans Rodionoff (written by)

Release Date:

21 April 2005 (Singapore)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

When nature fights back!

Plot:

Agents of an oil tycoon vanish while exploring a swamp marked for drilling. The local sheriff investigates and faces a Seminole legend come to life: Man-Thing, a shambling swamp-monster whose touch burns those who feel fear. |

Plot Keywords:

Swamp | Swamp Monster | Shotgun | Marvel Comics | Male Rear Nudity

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 22

3:00 AM

SYFY

Cast

Matthew Le Nevez	...	Sheriff Kyle Williams
Rachael Taylor	...	Teri Elizabeth Richards
Jack Thompson	...	Frederic Schist
Rawiri Paratene	...	Pete Horn
Alex O'Loughlin	...	Deputy Eric Fraser
Steve Bastoni	...	Rene LaRoque
Robert Mammone	...	Mike Ploog
Patrick Thompson	...	Jake Schist (as Pat Thompson)
William Zappa	...	Steve Gerber
John Batchelor	...	Wayne Thibadeaux
Ian Bliss	...	Rodney Thibadeaux
Brett Leonard	...	Val Mayerick
Imogen Bailey	...	Sarah
James Coyne	...	Billy James
Cheryl Craig	...	Michele
Garry Waddell	...	Cajun Pilot (as Gary Waddell)
Andrea Leon	...	Nurse (as Xoqui Pesce)
Conan Stevens	...	Man-Thing
Shannon Leonard	...	School boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marc Kay	...	F Schist body double

Directed by
Brett Leonard

Writing credits (WGA)
Steve Gerber		(character)
Hans Rodionoff		(written by)

Produced by
Avi Arad	....	producer
James Coyne	....	associate producer
Gimel Everett	....	co-producer
Kevin Feige	....	executive producer
Brendan Fletcher	....	associate producer
Scott Karol	....	producer
Stan Lee	....	executive producer
Christopher Petzel	....	producer
Hans Rodionoff	....	associate producer
Michelle Russell	....	line producer
Rudolf G. Wiesmeier	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Roger Mason

Cinematography by
Steve Arnold

Film Editing by
Martin Connor

Casting by
Gregory Apps		(as Greg Apps)

Production Design by
Tim Ferrier
Peter Pound

Art Direction by
Charlie Revai

Set Decoration by
Faith Robinson

Costume Design by
Cappi Ireland

Makeup Department
Tina Gordon	....	hair stylist
Tina Gordon	....	makeup artist
Anna Gray	....	assistant hair stylist
Anna Gray	....	assistant makeup artist
Jennifer Lamphee	....	hair stylist supervisor
Jennifer Lamphee	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Colleen Clarke	....	post-production supervisor
Sandy Stevens	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brendan Fletcher	....	second unit director
Scott Lovelock	....	third assistant director
Noni Roy	....	second assistant director
Chris Webb	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Brian Nickless	....	set designer
Ross Perkin	....	assistant storyboard artist
Gregg Thomas	....	greens supervisor
Bill Undery	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Adrienne Alexander	....	sound attachment
Mark Cornish	....	sound recordist
Gethin Creagh	....	sound re-recording mixer
Liam Egan	....	sound designer
Les Fiddess	....	foley artist
Mike Jones	....	foley recordist
Phil Judd	....	dialogue editor
Phil Judd	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tony Murtagh	....	adr editor
Alicia Slusarski	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Paul Katte	....	special makeup and creature effects supervisor
Nick Nicolaou	....	special makeup and creature effects supervisor
Luke Polti	....	workshop assistant
Stuart Rowsell	....	creature technician

Visual Effects by
Roger Bolton	....	digital compositor
Tina Braham	....	visual effects coordinator: the LaB sydney
Tony Clark	....	visual effects supervisor: Rising Sun Pictures
Ian Cope	....	visual effects coordinator: Rising Sun Pictures
Luke Emrose	....	technical director
Alex Fry	....	senior compositor: Rising Sun Pictures
William Gammon	....	compositor: Rising Sun Pictures
Richard Geluk	....	animator: The Lab, Sydney
Kyle Goodsell	....	digital compositor
Malcolm Humphreys	....	animation supervisor
Bryan Jones	....	compositor: Rising Sun Pictures
Dan Kripac	....	senior technical director
Grant Laker	....	effects animator
Steve Leacey	....	senior compositor: the LaB sydney
Rosano Lepri	....	digital compositor
Jason Madigan	....	digital compositor
Matthew Ozerski	....	assistant visual effects editor
Adam Paschke	....	digital compositor
Ben Roberts	....	digital compositor: Rising Sun Pictures
Chris Spry	....	CG Supervisor: the LaB sydney
Matthew Unwin	....	visual effects artist
Phil Watts	....	visual effects producer: the LaB sydney
James Whitlam	....	visual effects producer: Rising Sun Pictures
Dan Wills	....	digital effects artist

Stunts
Sam Elia	....	stunts
Charlie Hobson	....	stunts
Brett Praed	....	stunts
Leon Stripp	....	stunts
Glenn Suter	....	assistant stunt coordinator
John Walton	....	stunt coordinator
Min Windle	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Agganis	....	Steadicam operator
Matt Buchan	....	rigging gaffer
Paul Johnstone	....	gaffer
Jonas Juhanson	....	key rigging grip (as Jo Juhanson)
Michael Pedder	....	lighting technician
John Platt	....	director of photography: second unit
Brett Tracey	....	second assistant camera
Mark Watson	....	best boy electric

Animation Department
Alex Goodwin	....	animator
Tim Kings-Lynne	....	animator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Natasha Monaghan	....	costume supervisor
Dan Owen	....	costume assistant
Carolyn Wells	....	costume stand-by

Editorial Department
Jenny Hicks	....	film conform editor
David Hollingsworth	....	colorist
Brett McManus	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Laura Bishop	....	music preparation
Christo Curtis	....	orchestra recordist
Coralie Hartl	....	orchestra contractor
Phillip Hartl	....	concert master
Gregg Leonard	....	composer: additional music
Gregg Leonard	....	music supervisor
Larry Rench	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Teresa Barker	....	production secretary
Sue Collins	....	production accountant
Gerry Conway	....	creator: Man-Thing
Jill Coverdale	....	post-production accountant
Sophie Fabbri-Jackson	....	script supervisor
Jane Forrest	....	production coordinator
Fabian Frohne	....	intern
Steve Gerber	....	creator: F.A. Schist
Kasper Graversen	....	assistant to producer
Peter Hicks	....	location manager
Chris Kelly	....	production runner
Stan Lee	....	creator: Man-Thing
Rob Macdonald	....	production runner
Reza Mokhtar	....	caterer
Adam W. Rosen	....	legal services
Bruce Shapiro	....	dialogue coach
Kat Slowik	....	assistant accountant
Diana Snape	....	assistant production coordinator
Roy Thomas	....	creator: Man-Thing

Production Companies

• Lions Gate Films
• Artisan Entertainment
• Marvel Enterprises
• Fierce Entertainment
• Screenland Movieworld GmbH
• Samurai Films Pty. Ltd.

Distributors

• Pyramid (2005) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Artisan Entertainment
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films
• Veronica (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)

Special Effects

• Rising Sun Pictures (visual effects)
• LaB Sydney, The
• Makeup Effects Group Studio (special make-up effects and prosthetics)

Other Companies

• Trackdown Digital  music recorded at

Also Known As:

Man Thing (UK) (DVD box title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, grisly images, language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

USA:97 min | Singapore:96 min | USA:105 min (DVD version) | UK:93 min | Canada:96 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Malaysia:18SG | Brazil:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Australia:MA | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:PG (cut) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Lions Gate Films

Trivia:

The character of Val Mayerik (Brett Leonard) is also a reference to the creator by the same name. He worked with Steve Gerber on the first ongoing Man-Thing comic book series, too.

Quotes:

Rene LaRoque: [speaking to Sheriff Kyle Williams in the swamp] Go home, or you will die.

One of the better Sci-fi channel originals I've seen...

Something evil is living in a swamp, something that kills all that enter its territory, the "dark waters". As more people are killed, the local town sheriff learns that a swamp-monster of Indian legend is responsible. Can he stop the creature before it can continue killing? "Man-Thing" has gotten primarily bad reviews here on IMDb, but I thought it was…not terrible. Not great either, loaded with clichés, yes, but I've seen much worse films released courtesy of the Sci-fi channel. Any of you ever seen of "Boa Vs. Python"?!?!? There's plenty of stuff to like here. The swamp photography is beautiful. The shades of greens gave the film a very nice look, and the swamp is setting is effectively creepy. Director Brett Leonard—who you may remember as the guy behind 1992's "Lawn Mower Man"—gives the film good atmosphere, and there were even a couple of creepy moments towards the finale. The monster was scary and looked very, very impressive, to say the least. There was some pretty weak CG used for its tentacles among other things but thankfully the creature itself is a good old-fashioned man-in-a-suit creation, and a darn good one at that. Kudos to the effects team on this memorable, nasty-looking beast. Oh, there's the abundant gore too, which is certainly a plus. I won't give away what happens in the film, but I will say gore fans will be very happy. I also liked Roger Mason's creepy, atmospheric score.

Problems begin with two things: The script and the actors. The screenplay offers lots of typical horror conventions: Throwaway monster victims, cheap pop scares, greedy and unrealistic bad guys, wise Indians who know about the monster, and so on. If you know the genre, you're probably familiar with this set-up by now, and it can be very tiring. The actors are mostly weak (Save for lead actor Matthew Le Nevez who wasn't bad), and those "southern" accents sure sound Australian if you ask me!

"Man Thing" is flawed and offers a familiar set-up, but if you can overlook that you'll be treated to a gory, creepy monster movie. Better than most made-for-TV horror films I've seen, and I've seen a lot.

6/10.