Packs the punch of the allure.
Packs the punch of the allure. Where Alien 3 failed us, Alien: Romulus, plugs the leak in the airlock by wedging itself between the first & second film, bridging a new timeline between the classics.
The film starts with the gorgeous vacuum of space, distilled in silence, a motif vividly told inbetween shots of blinking retro-futuristic monitors in a spaceship interior with a throwback set design.
The characters are introduced as if we already know them. Bumbling through a familiar dystopian world where desires are eclipsed by the unforgiving agony of society.
The main protagonist, Rain Carradine (Spaeny) has a calm, serene, and balanced nature that makes her a decent addition to the franchise to step in to it's new shoes.
Other than the artificial characters- there are some non-human characters,- the remaining cast doesn't have much dialogue, simply then assessing the narrative of the impending hardships.
While that was refreshing on one hand, it felt undercooked at times on another. Some characters don't have much character development and some feel saved for later, for gimmicky plot revelations.
Again, still not a bad thing if you know what to look for in an Alien movie, some things are just served too simple, and I wondered watching if that is the case here.
With that said, the ending has a great pulse to it. There are sequences that make this one stand out, and it lies in the capabilities of today's filmmaking. The effects, models, and sets are a saving grace.
My one complaint is that there were not a lot of Xenomorphs featured. Many perished on screen, but it was not quite the amount of Xenomorphs I personally wanted to see. Had there been a bit more focus on the Xenomorphs, I feel it would have helped helm this sequel.
Instead what we got was the now famous ending, which, due to the set design, music, effects, and a stunning performance by Spaeny, made this a fun tension-filled venture that benefits from the air-tight sound system & darkness of a theater experience. I enjoyed the end sequence because it took Prometheus lore and sequenced it in to the Alien hybrid kind of mythology. What results is more trick-or-treat candy for those like myself who largely enjoyed Alien: Resurrection, and most of the other sequels that threw some punches out of left field.
What i like is that Retro-Futurism is mainstream in an Alien film again finally. The atmosphere was on par with a Jurassic Park movie, they intentionally went for the rubbery prosthetic jiggly-look that I could appreciate in a modern film.
I enjoyed the mayhem I just wish it served a bit more. The writing could have used some better direction, the calamity of it all made it a suspenseful watch. But the plot holes were a little too glaring. It's definitely a "just hold on for the ride and don't question anything too much" kind of watching experience. All in all a leap in the right direction, that proves the Alien formula still lives in visceral terror.
The film starts with the gorgeous vacuum of space, distilled in silence, a motif vividly told inbetween shots of blinking retro-futuristic monitors in a spaceship interior with a throwback set design.
The characters are introduced as if we already know them. Bumbling through a familiar dystopian world where desires are eclipsed by the unforgiving agony of society.
The main protagonist, Rain Carradine (Spaeny) has a calm, serene, and balanced nature that makes her a decent addition to the franchise to step in to it's new shoes.
Other than the artificial characters- there are some non-human characters,- the remaining cast doesn't have much dialogue, simply then assessing the narrative of the impending hardships.
While that was refreshing on one hand, it felt undercooked at times on another. Some characters don't have much character development and some feel saved for later, for gimmicky plot revelations.
Again, still not a bad thing if you know what to look for in an Alien movie, some things are just served too simple, and I wondered watching if that is the case here.
With that said, the ending has a great pulse to it. There are sequences that make this one stand out, and it lies in the capabilities of today's filmmaking. The effects, models, and sets are a saving grace.
My one complaint is that there were not a lot of Xenomorphs featured. Many perished on screen, but it was not quite the amount of Xenomorphs I personally wanted to see. Had there been a bit more focus on the Xenomorphs, I feel it would have helped helm this sequel.
Instead what we got was the now famous ending, which, due to the set design, music, effects, and a stunning performance by Spaeny, made this a fun tension-filled venture that benefits from the air-tight sound system & darkness of a theater experience. I enjoyed the end sequence because it took Prometheus lore and sequenced it in to the Alien hybrid kind of mythology. What results is more trick-or-treat candy for those like myself who largely enjoyed Alien: Resurrection, and most of the other sequels that threw some punches out of left field.
What i like is that Retro-Futurism is mainstream in an Alien film again finally. The atmosphere was on par with a Jurassic Park movie, they intentionally went for the rubbery prosthetic jiggly-look that I could appreciate in a modern film.
I enjoyed the mayhem I just wish it served a bit more. The writing could have used some better direction, the calamity of it all made it a suspenseful watch. But the plot holes were a little too glaring. It's definitely a "just hold on for the ride and don't question anything too much" kind of watching experience. All in all a leap in the right direction, that proves the Alien formula still lives in visceral terror.
- influxtwo
- Aug 27, 2024