I saw a screening for the film tonight and it is definitely without a doubt a PREQUEL:
1) It ends where John Carpenter's film begins.
2) None of the plot points are the same - at all.
3) We see some of the left over remnants in action: the ax is left behind, the gasoline canisters, the broken block of ice -- what we see in this film leads into the base investigation in Carpenter's.
For those wondering about the music, unfortunately the main theme isn't that present till the very end.
As for the quality of the film? I would say 6/10. Bias it would be 7/10. 6/10 because it just wasn't that scary, it doesn't measure up to the original - no sense of building dread, just a lot more creature effects (which were good) and action. Basically it took the wrong elements of the original. 7/10 because from a fan's point of view, it is interesting - but just from a "prequel comic" or "prequel novel" etc. type approach in "oh - that's what led into this..." type thing. Other than that, as a fan of the original, it just doesn't measure up.
Basically if you're a fan - see it, it'll still be entertaining in that you'll see what leads into Carpenter's film. Other than that though it unfortunately doesn't have a lot more going for it. As said, it kept the wrong elements and completely ditched the important one.
