D23, the gigantic fan convention focused around Disney, is taking place this weekend. Normally a place for news and announcements about upcoming Disney films and products, for a number of lucky social media influencers and content creators, it was also an opportunity to watch Alien: Romulus before critics.
And over the last day, their early reactions to Fede Alvarez’s upcoming Alien film have been starting to hit Twitter. And I think it would fair to say they’re very enthusiastically positive!
I’m thrilled to report that #AlienRomulus scared the shit out of me. It’s smart, it’s funny, it’s horrifying. #Alien fans will love it. @fedalvar played continuity chess VERY well. He’s no rook, he’s the king.
Thank you so much @20thcentury for a great time! pic.twitter.com/yXZIWLNOCR
— Z. David Van Norman (@exzachly815) August 9, 2024
Alien Romulus was fucking awesome. holy shit
— Matt Ramos (@therealsupes) August 9, 2024
#AlienRomulus The bitch is back. Was skeptical going in, but this is easily one of the better films in the franchise. Fede Álvarez doesn't disappoint. Awesome sound design and world-building. The practical effects are so good that the film gave me nightmares. pic.twitter.com/Z46KNWxYhn
— Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) August 9, 2024
I went to an early screening of #AlienRomulus today.
Fede Alvarez was the perfect choice for this one. If you’re a true Xenomorph fan, trust me—you WON’T be disappointed!
I had doubts about the young cast too, Man, I was SO WRONG.
The best sound editing experience of 2024! pic.twitter.com/GuIXrbd7B6
— Perfect Organism (@nostromolast) August 9, 2024
first thoughts on #AlienRomulus
• Fede brought us back to the horror roots without compromising on the action
• Great homages to the original while adding new elements to the franchise
• CRAZY ENDING
• definitely watch the OG and ALIENS beforehand
4/5 for me ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/BnJtPeHN1z
— TropicalJoe (@imTropicalJoe) August 9, 2024
#ALIENROMULUS is one of the movies of the year omg..
The most insane final act of a film I think I've ever seen.. pic.twitter.com/Px8rhwFqAn
— Big Screen Berkan (@BigScreenBerkan) August 9, 2024
I cannot wait to see Alien: Romulus again! Just when you think things are safe, it gets even crazier! 🤯 I highly recommend seeing it in 4DX. #AlienRomulus
— SeeJay Lewis (@seejaylewis) August 9, 2024
Ladies and Gentlemen, Alien Romulus is by far the best movie of the year. It’s the best in the franchise, and may be my new favorite horror. Can’t wait to see it again and I’m so excited for the world to enjoy this masterpiece like we did tonight. -hat guy🦒 (video taken by the… pic.twitter.com/cDLj64ub27
— The Escape Pod Podcast (@EscapePodcastAA) August 9, 2024
#AlienRomulus REVIEW: VISCERAL & INTENSE. Suspenseful, bold, dramatic. Filmmaking that brings the franchise back to its roots. Action-packed scares with sensual edging. This isn’t just another horror movie, it’s one of the BEST prequels ever! A fitting end setting up what’s next. pic.twitter.com/XlJnXcleWO
— Atom (@theatomreview) August 9, 2024
Press screenings for Alien: Romulus are expected to begin next Monday. Alien vs. Predator Galaxy will also be attending the UK London premiere of the film and are looking forward to sharing our thoughts with you all! The film officially releases on Friday the 16th.
Keep your browsers locked on Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for the latest Alien: Romulus news! You can follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube to get the latest on your social media walls. You can also join in with fellow Alien and Predator fans on our forums.
If that happens that would become my canonical version and would plan never to watch the theatrical release ever again.
Then why are you here? This place is full of fans and each with their own opinion that they have every right to.
I'm reminded now why I don't usually engage with fandoms.
"I'll give them f**king Aliens."
And then flips the whole series upside down. Certainly looks like a f**k you.
Spoiler
Ridley actually mentions Fede being given some notes in a interview, might be the red carpet one. Can someone confirm?
At least now we know why Cameron distanced himself from it.
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
Is the Big Chap likeness any good - does it look identical (or close to) what was seen in ALIEN?
Spoiler
Spoiler
Tell me, what about the Big Chap scenes, anything of interest there, or just shots of it trapped in rock (like the NECA collectable)?
Spoiler
Spoiler
(These spoil the movie)
Spoiler
These days, movies always have a special twist at the end, and so, unfortunately, in Alien Romulus as well. This surprise twist and its events ruined the movie for me.
Things I liked:
Things I didn't like:
Maybe the movie gets better on the second and third viewings, I can't say.
Spoiler
To Answer:
Spoiler
Many, but mainly focuses on one main one most of the movie.
- Are the (adult) Xenomorphs easy to kill and treated as cannon fodder?
Yes and no. She does use the auto targeting pulse rifle to mow them down, but the main xeno is at least given some respect in how dangerous is. It trivialises the facehuggers potency a little bit, eg. one guy pulls one off his face before it fully grabbed on, and another one swings a prod like a bat to knock them away, which I felt was a stretch for something that guy had only encountered the first time in his life, how could he know how they jump etc??
- Is there a hybrid type of Xenomorph OR some bigger/badder Xenomorph type in the movie?
Sadly... YES. This is the final act. It's a human/goop hybrid that births near the end of the film and turns in a sort of white slederman type thing. I thought it was ridiculous and repeats the mistakes of Alien Resurrection. How they thought that was a good idea given the poor reception of a very similar scenario in that movie is honestly beyond me.
- What two movies in the Alien series (including the prequels) does this movie feel like the most?
It is hard to say exactly, as it tries to be all of them at once. Me personally, I feel it's most similar to Aliens + Resurrection if I had to pick two.
- Is the overall acting & dialogue great, good, ok/decent, bad or horrible?
The acting is all decent, however the dialogue is TERRIBLE. Get this, these lines are spoken in the movie:
"I prefer artificial person myself"
"I can't lie to you about your chances, but you have my sympathies"
"Get away from her you bitch"
"This is xxx the sole survivor of the yyy signing out"
Seriously, they are all used and they damage the legacy of the originals in my view.
- Does this movie end like a stand-alone movie or does it imply the possibility of a Romulus sequel?
Ends identically to Alien. With the female lead signing out the same way Ripley did in Alien.
We don't even have confirmation that anything was forced down on him. By Scott or much, much more likely, studio executives.
Spoiler
- Are the (adult) Xenomorphs easy to kill and treated as cannon fodder?
- Is there a hybrid type of Xenomorph OR some bigger/badder Xenomorph type in the movie?
- What two movies in the Alien series (including the prequels) does this movie feel like the most?
- Is the overall acting & dialogue great, good, ok/decent, bad or horrible?
- Does this movie end like a stand-alone movie or does it imply the possibility of a Romulus sequel?
I also get the feeling the studio wanted a Ripley stand-in like all the other films post-Resurrection. In fact, with the mention of notes from the executives and reshoots, my theory is that the original intent was for the movie to be an ensemble piece, just like the first Alien, where the cast is gradually picked off one by one until one character remains. Now, whether it was meant to be Rain or she was going to be a red herring protagonist who gets killed off in the final act, making way for the real protagonist to step up, I have no idea. But, all of this wouldn't surprise me if it were true.
Which was indeed the worst part of the film. In addition to David creating the Aliens which was the intention.
Spoiler
Spoiler
Spoiler
It is a great irony that David is the creator. Absolutely. It's fantastic in a vacuum, or a story with different creatures and no previous films. That doesn't mean the puzzle piece fit.
Regardless, I will watch Romulus with an open mind. It's not Fede's call to take the origin in the direction it went, so my disappointment there will be compartmentalized to Covenant. He is working within the box the series is apparently now captured in, when there wasn't a box before.
My biggest fear is the earlier comment about the call backs, repeated lines etc. I was vocal from the outset about that before we hardly knew anything.
Guess thats the industry now right.....
Expect milky androids!
Spoiler
I agree 100% with this take.
I've always loved Howling II, with Christopher Lee. That is some hardcore schlock though.
I can't think of anything I disagree with on a regular basis on most of my passion subjects than the "real reviews from 'true fans'"
I loved it, commits to and doubles down on the weirdest impulses of season one and was shaping up as something really special, had it been able to tell its story in full. Just go in knowing it ends on a massive cliffhanger that will absolutely go unresolved. The plan was for five seasons.
I long for a third season of Wolves even more than I do for a Covenant followup, in some ways.
I watched the first season and it was very intriguing, somehow didn't have time to watch second season straight on and haven't managed to do it yet. Is the second season worth watching?
I quite like some aspects of Prometheus but the first mistake was turning the Space Jockey into an Engineer, quickly followed by mistake number two of making mankind the creations of the Engineers. That choice really pivoted the Alien universe to one that is an alternate to ours and not one that a feasible future Earth could feature in a la the original movie.
Enter: Raised By Wolves.
God, I miss that show.
For example I truly love Ridley Scott's Legend, even though I agree that the characters are paper thin and it is narratively lackluster.
Ah, what am I saying, despite these issues I think that Legend is a great movie as the issues are not noteworthy to take away the enjoyment, carry on.
But then again, Covenant has more crippling issues than Legend.
Oh I would never call it bad – if I thought it was bad, I wouldn't like it so much! My love there is earnest. It was just good in ways I never would have considered or expected, given my biases against its concept from the outset.