Alien: Romulus is now out across the United States, UK and Europe!
Directed by Fede Alvarez, Alien: Romulus takes the Alien franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers, led by Rain (Cailee Spaeny), come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Alien: Romulus has received positive reviews from the press. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film is currently sitting on 82% Fresh after 135 reviews – the highest rating in the series after Ridley Scott’s Alien and James Cameron’s Aliens. Many outlets commented that this is the third-best Alien film.
Sound off in the comments below if you’ve seen Alien: Romulus. What did you think of the latest entry in the Alien franchise? Did it live up to your expectations?
Feral has the better cinematography
Predators have been sub par for 30 years. I thought the designs were pretty good in Rom. Just didn't quite nail the iconic shots.
There's a very brief shot of Scorched standing up as Kay bolts, wish we had more of that and less running around getting shot.
Funny, I thought the exact thing the other day. Almost like both films get everything right about the build up and setting, then just completely blow the pay off.
https://y.yarn.co/f1dfca19-01d6-4215-a3d5-894a8cbd9bb6_text.gif
I love how it's a realistic take on the Xenomorph and the chestburster. Like what they would be if they actually existed. The use of Holm was a complete surprise to me and was a huge shock because he is slowly revealed in silhouette and in shadows. The final design I personally I really liked. The uncanny valley and how the CGI wasn't perfect (for me) kind of added to the fact that he was an android, and damaged.
The whole movie is beautiful.
It also uses colors and designs from old concept art from prior media like ACM and the comics for the initial colony.
Overall it's my second favorite movie in the franchise after Aliens.
What I didn't like was the offspring at the end. It was Resurrection all over again, but done way better so there's that. Also the movement of the facehuggers was not as good as in Aliens.
The F44AA sound effect was also very impressive. It's like the M41A but more consistent, without the alternating pitch. It's different.
I also assume the F44AA, like the M41A uses an 'electronic pulse action' rather than a traditional firing pin. In other words, as each round is fired the primer embedded in the base of the caseless round is ignited from an electrical arc at the back of the firing chamber. This is why the gun has such a distinctive sound, it is a combination of a high rate of fire and an electronic whine from the gun's capacitor rapidly discharging.
Though different to the M41A it appears to not fire explosive tipped, as it doesn't blow apart the Xenomorphs like the M41A did, just kind of puts holes in them.
The CM may have opted for the lower capacity, not aim assisted M41A, for the higher powered round as opposed to the larger capacity and aim assist.
But the movie is like all Aliens movies in 1. It's a beautiful film which is evidently made by a superfan.
I wish Alvarez continue the franchise as opposed to Scott.
But since yesterday I have to say that the movie is really great.
I still don't like the things I didn't like the first time, but all in all, the movie is great. I still have a hard time classifying him in the canon, because there are admittedly some logic holes, but there is so much worth seeing happening in this movie and the cast is also completely convincing. The look, the design, music and sound, all fantastic.
great work, Fede and team !
The screen in Aliens says Ash was activated 4 years earlier.
I really dug the imagery as well yeah.
Plus the image of it hung up in the roof was so creepy and awesome.
Or to remain resting in peace floating in the void.
I'd say that them having him ready to send out on last minute notice means it's more likely that they already had him on hand and ready to go, so I don't think I'd say he's brand new in Alien. A stash of them on reserve being exclusively used on top secret science projects, though (so nobody outside of those projects would have any recognition of that face), and grabbing one from that pool to drop onto the Nostromo makes more than enough sense to me.
Ethically speaking I don't love bringing Holm "back" like this, nor do I love how the effect itself was pulled off, or the repeated lines of dialogue that Rook is given. But from a "lore" perspective, there's nothing about it that really shakes up Ash's mysterious/secret presence on the Nostromo.
Indeed; Ash replaced the Nostromo science officer 2 days before it departed Thedus. It's entirely possible it's the first time the Hyperdyne 120A2 was deployed. The Nostromo disappeared without a trace. It stands to reason nobody would know Ash/Rooks face.
But at the time when Ash was posted to the Nostromo, couldn't he have been the only one with that face? It's Rook that's the copy, in a movie set later. Am I forgetting Rook saying he's been around since before the events of Alien?
CHONES!
I agree that the "get away from her, you bitch" was awful, regardless if Andy "earned" it or not after being called a bitch by Bjorn 2 or 3 times (i think that is the logic they were going for, but it still felt cheap and we should have gotten the version where he doesn't say that), but the repeated Ash dialogue didn't really irk me.
It kind of makes sense that a mass produced android would have a similar programming language/vocabulary, not to mention that apparently it is a android used for special operations, so in a world with no social media and pics being shared 24/7, i don't think that's really a plot hole or anything, since the crew in the Nostromo most likely never made contact (or read or saw pictures) with a previous special operation android in one of their previous works, since they are just a bunch of average space truckers.
Oui oui! Zeez are za bawls zat does ze achings mon ami!
(Corrected typo 🤣)
Thanks for posting this: saved me the ball ache of grabbing screencaptures 😁👍
Building a narrative structure that subtly rehashes things to up the stakes for the protagonist and just adding in nods with a satisfied wink are not the same thing at all.
One is just good story telling and one is just lazy unoriginal story telling.
Nobody watched Aliens and thought it was just copying Alien, Romulus goes out of its way to make sure you realise it is.
And like I said earlier; Just as Aliens features innovation to SOME of its rehashes (not all as some would make out) Romulus also features innovation to some of said scenes; outlined in earlier post.
But sure, *I'm* being disingenuous...
I see Romulus as a 'recontextulized' sequel like Aliens was. Outside of the reused dialogue that wasn't given any new context.
@Acid_Reign161 : nobody can admit to liking the film in spite of the call backs!
It's not even just false equivalence, it's entirely disingenuous, bad faith argument at this point.
Not to totally defend the use of Ian Holm's likeness here - from a real-world perspective, I am not particularly fond of that - but from an in-universe perspective it doesn't feel like an issue to me. If the Ash/Rook model was being used as science officers exclusively on top secret research projects, and then one was plucked from one of those stations and dropped last minute onto the Nostromo because it had the right programming/skillset to operate in that situation, I think it's fair to say that the Nostromo crew (or literally anyone else outside of those research stations or the factory that makes the Ash/Rook model) wouldn't have any chance of knowing about/recognizing that model.
It is stuff like this that makes Romulus feel like fan fiction in a way none of the others do.
Which is *exactly* my point... it IS widely regarded one of the best sequels ever made.. I feel so too... the fact that is is so highly thought of whilst also replaying to the same beats as the original demonstrates that rehashing narrative/structure, scenes or imagery is *not* a determining factor in whether a movie is good or not. The truth is, most don't care that Aliens does this, because it's awesome. I'm not sitting here saying Romulus is a masterpiece ; what I'm saying is those that cite Romulus as lifting scenes from other films as their primary justification for "why it's bad" who then go on to compare it to Aliens are coming off rather hypocritical (intentional or not).
So no, it's not "apples and oranges"; what some folk are basically saying is "I love Aliens, so i don't want to acknowledge that side of it" instead of "I love Aliens, DESPITE that side of it" That's the difference. It can still be brilliant without being a masterwork in originality that some make it out to be. In terms of Romulus complaints, I personally feel the two are guilty of the same when it comes to callbacks(the point of my original post) ...that doesn't suddenly mean those who dislike it suddenly have to find it amazing; my point was the callbacks (with the exception of the on-the-nose quotes that I disliked myself) arent any worse than what other movies in the franchise had already done, Aliens included.
You can choose to ignore that fact if you wish, but it doesn't change it. The franchise has always done this.
In fact the most original sequel to Alien is 'Alien 3' - it's the only one not guilty of it.
You can't wrap your head around it because it's clearly a false equivalence and makes no sense. Comparing the two films in this context is a ridiculous perspective to take but I suspect those arguing the case know that already.
But that still doesn't really explain why he'd have the same face. You'd assume the less evidence floating around space the better.
Now we have to wonder how the SO937 people were so certain that the Nostromo crew had never seen his model before.
Sure, Burke is the corporate stooge working against the protagonists the same way Ash was. But ROMULUS brought back the same model android to play the same role and repeat the same lines of dialogue.
I cannot take anyone claiming the films' references are equivalent sincerely.
I would argue some "new" things introduced are contentious, hybrid being one of them. While I actually think it was creepy, it should have just been an Alien. The 3d printing thing seems unnecessary when they could have come up with a better reason for Aliens being on board.
The Aliens in well, Aliens manage to sabotage the marines, one by killing the dropship pilot, then cutting the power and they also out flank them by coming out of the ceiling, floors and the rooms behind them (where Burke got killed) So despite limited screen time, they certainly do more than just standing around.
Don't think I claimed otherwise.
Trying to use Aliens structure to address criticisms of Romulus is just daft. Its apples and oranges.
The Aliens in ALIENS do a little more than just all die in two consecutive scenes.
Well, in Aliens and Romulus they are only cannon fodder for motion tracking sentry guns and aim-assisted pulse rifles. So I think they both played around that pretty nicely. How many Xenos did the marines even managed to kill with their hand held weaponry?
Also, if the Xenos were immune to gunfire then the acid blood as a defense mechanism would be a bit unnecessary for them I think.
What I don't want/like to see is that a character would be running around full Rambo/Commando style shooting every Xeno down with regular hand aimed guns.
The trackers are another one. They had two scenes with trackers in Alien, and the first barely even counts. The second used a dot homing in on another dot to make an awesome sequence. Cameron has like five tracker scenes - the second where they find Newt is akin to them getting tricked by Jones, but instead re-introduces a character, which develops Ripley's character, rather than distracting Brett to his death.
The next one in the hive is the Dallas scene amped out the wazoo, then you could almost accuse Cameron of repeating himself on the next one but it literally adds another dimension with the Aliens coming in through the roof and floor.
Maybe I'll get more from repeated viewing of Romulus, but on the surface, it seems like repetition without innovation (@SiL did you say that already? I feel like I've nicked it from someone).
lol, I put that in there as if I didn't , I guarantee there'd be someone nit pick to be pedantic. You know as well as I do that they play out the same order; the one or two I mentioned are 1; derelict scene obviously before introduction of sulaco crew, and 2; damaged android happens in final fight instead of 3rd act. That's it.
I mean, let's do this; let's grab the corresponding screen captures from Alien and Aliens side by side from both movies and then do the same with Romulus, and see which one is the greater offender of rehashing. The truth is, people (I myself included) love 'Aliens' so it gets a pass. People who don't care for Romulus attempt to use rehashing as justification for why it's "bad", whilst glossing over or buttering up Aliens doing exactly the same. I can love both whilst acknowledging /knowing their shared shortcomings without feeling the need to elevate one to shit on the other. 😊
ALIENS has an air vent scene - but the survivors fleeing through the vents chased by dozens of Aliens is a hell of a change from Dallas alone trying to fish one Alien out.
How many lines of dialogue does ALIENS lift from ALIEN?
How many moments are actually lifted from other movies? What equivalent is there to Ripley and Rain descending an elevator armed with pulse rifles to rescue their family member from the hive?
What's equivalent is there to Ripley and Rain getting into their spacesuits the same way in ALIEN, compared to Ripley getting into a mech suit in ALIENS?
ALIENS innovated. ROMULUS took what came before, then glued some extra moments on.
And some of them make them new, and some of them just copy paste earlier films and slap on some extra details.
Also redressing is the key here. Aliens used tropes but gave them a twist or had them in a different genre. I don't feel Romulus really makes the same effort in that regard.
From the outset the publicity was all 'hey we did that thing from the other movie you like'. Then the Fox logo comes up and copies Alien 3 and, to be fair, it was exactly what they advertised. 'The thing from the other movie you liked'.
But that is what i am talking about, almost all of these movies redress what happened in previous movies.
Just like the final act of Aliens is a redressing of the final act of Alien, simply with a different suit/gear and a different creature.
And then Covenant and Romulus did the same redressing, so it's disingenuous to criticize Romulus for being the greatest-hits, when the other two aren't criticized as such.
Also, if we want to go that far, Rain went into the Hive twice, so even that is different.
She actively went back into the Hive after leaving Andy behind, so it's not like Ripley that simply went into the Hive because she knew Newt was going to be taken there.
Ripley never left Newt behind, since Newt was simply kidnapped and then Ripley tried to go after her, while Rain abandoned Andy once or twice and was still struggling with whether the real Andy existed or not (since the synthetic update).
You do make an interesting point regarding Aliens building upon one or two of those scenes (I think the rescue is most 'stand out' of those) but some of the others, I feel play mostly the same. I don't agree that scenes were just lifted however; consider if we are to say that Aliens attempts to build upon the rescue by adding superior firepower, then Romulus attempts to up the tension by putting Rain directly in the room with the xenos during her 'sentry gun' rehash, as opposed to watching a screen, and there is the addition that in Aliens, there's no consequence to acid blood during that scene, however it was a factor that had to be addressed in Romulus due to being on the lower levels (close to hull) of a space station... now, whether they *succeeded* in that is up for debate and subjective to opinion (in my opinion, I prefer the sentry gun scene; I've always been a 'less is more' kinda guy, and hearing the screams of the aliens with the shot of the sentries firing I feel works better because you can picture this carnage without it being presented to you directly) but I don't think it's fair to say that Romulus simply lifted it and slapped it in; in did indeed attempt to build upon it.
Just as in Alien, Ripley shoots the alien out of the shuttle, in Romulus, Rain herself is dangling out of the ship, bringing more tension.. I do feel Romulus builds upon just as many of the scenes it mimics as Aliens does personally (but again, I appreciate that opinions are subjective).
Aliens and Romulus both do the same thing. One is praised, one is criticised for it. I feel the complaints are less about the rehash or 'greatest hits' being the actual factoring issue, and more that the implementation simply doesn't resonate ( in the same way, say, I don't care for the end of Alien Resurrection, but enjoyed Romulus ending, despite them being the same thing giftwrapped differently) - people tend to prefer Aliens wrapping (whether that be the aesthetic, the setting, the cast, the nostalgia, etc etc which is fine - everyone has likes and dislikes, preferences etc; Romulus isn't going to be for everyone)
but I stand by my original assertion that both movies are guilty of the same.
I personally love em both; my only gripe with Romulus is that it solidifies that xenos aren't much of a threat in the presence of guns; big chap which took out an entire crew ultimately meets his demise with a pulse rifle, scorch and hive xenos do, which shows that in Aliens, numbers were the only threatening factor in regards the creature. Evidently Alien 3 would have been over swiftly had there been a pulse rifle.. and this all stems from Aliens, watching them fly apart at the pull of a trigger... the creature felt a genuine threat in Alien and Alien 3 - now they feel like gun fodder. But that's my only *real* issue with it (annoying lifted one liners aside) and it's not entirely Romulus' fault.
Keep in mind, in the first movie, she was just going back for a cat. ROMULUS simply redressed what ALIENS did with a distant kind of family drama: ALIENS totally redid the relationship between Ripley and the helpless member.
Nope! Time isn't running out in ALIEN. The self destruct hasn't started yet. That was something ALIENS introduced to the dynamic.
And in doing so they just recreated ANOTHER scene, the sentry guns from ALIENS.
Romulus' idea of innovation there was to just mash two references together.
The actual innovation is the acid blood floating around onwards.
Rain going back into the Hive and then the Elevator scene, are all about the escape, even the elevator directly leads into the hive.
She goes back in order to save him, even though time is running out (just like Alien did it, and then Aliens did it oo), but ok, let's for the sake of the argument only use the scenes in the Hive.
Even then, Rain couldn't leave by herself, because in order to defeat the Xenos there, she needed the zero-G gravity, and in order for her to effectively shoot the Xenos, Andy had to hold her and stand her position, which was kind of cute, because once there was zero-G, Rain started to float, before Andy held her down.
We are in a Romulus board, that is also refering to other movies in the franchise, such as Alien and Aliens, so forgive me if bringing up Covenant too into the equation is such a deal breaker.
Besides, the callbacks, agree to disagree.
We're in the Romulus board, we're discussing Romulus. Obviously that's going to be mentioned instead of other movies.
Secondly, Covenant isn't anywhere near as egregious with its reference, call backs and recycled scenes.