Anyway, Alien: Romulus is the seventh film about these particular monsters. According to the producers, the film takes the franchise ‘back to its roots’. So we get a group of grimy crew-mates piloting a big rust-bucket of a spaceship who pick up an extraterrestrial stowaway and end up having to use their wits and courage to survive as it gobbles them up, one by one.
And it’s not a bad film. It’s nicely creepy, the special effects are good, the acting is perfectly serviceable. In fact, I could give you a normal review of Alien: Romulus, but just writing this is making me feel a little crazy. It’s not a bad film, but it’s also a direct copy of a much better film that already exists. That film is called Alien, and it came out in 1979. It had Sigourney Weaver in it. It hasn’t vanished. If you have a Disney+ subscription or a torrent client, you can watch it tonight. Why have we made it again? What’s the point? Why have we spent the past 45 years – which is longer than I’ve been alive – making seven different versions of the same film? What on Earth is going on?
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Why have we spent the past 45 years – which is longer than I’ve been alive – making seven different versions of the same film?
If you watch Alien, Aliens and Alien3 and come out with the idea that they are “different versions of the same film”, maybe the whole movie critic gig thing isn’t for you. Hell, they are not even the same genre.
Spectator journalist incapable of perceiving nuance
In other news, the sun rose today
yeah that take is completely absurd.
Kinda surprised the author could tell the difference between Alien, Predator, and Aliens v Predator at this point.
Alien and aliens are 2 very different take on the same ide (opinions differ on Alien 3), that is not the reviewer claim.
Their point is that Romulus is a useless remake of a much better original.
Alien and aliens are 2 very different take on the same ide
So are Ghostbusters and the Others.
What is your fucking point?
My comment was truncated, but your rudeness convinced me to stop interacting with you.
Imagine that! We both win!
Facehuggers are Disney princesses
Since Disney owns the rights to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” so is…
I fully and wholeheartedly support this
If you watch the new Aliens movie they can kill your wife. Read the ticket!!
God FUCKING dammit I hate Disney
I thought the first action set piece with the facehuggers in Romulus was the films highlight. The corridor section, not so much.
I mean yes, totally. I haven’t seen it, yet, but will likely be going to the cinema for this one.
But, to just throw an idea out there … covers of and homages to songs are normal and sometimes awesome in music, and fundamental in live music.
So maybe the same isn’t so bad in film, especially if they’re not done badly, as it seems to be here.
Maybe “the problem” is more the lack of properly original works, the copious unashamed cinematic universe slop and faithless reboots?
In the same way that Bond films and Disney films find ways to manifest and apply to each new generation or era, why not other classic forms?
But, to just throw an idea out there … covers of and homages to songs are normal and sometimes awesome in music, and fundamental in live music.
So maybe the same isn’t so bad in film, especially if they’re not done badly, as it seems to be here.
The film does a lot of things I liked but those call-outs are often so clunky it spoiled what could have been one of the great Alien films (it’s still better than most).
Are we reading the same article? The text was bashing anything that has a scary alien in a rust bucket spaceship killing ppl. The callbacks are corny sure but not the point. To say no one should make a film that puts a xeno in a space ship and have it hunt down ppl anymore because they did that 50 years ago is insane.
The Bond franchise is an interesting one because they’ve essentially been remaking the exact same movie since Doctor No, and although there are definitely ups and downs, on balance it’s still a good franchise! Virtually no continuity. Only occasional meta nods. In essence, every single Bond movie consists of…
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Bond goes to exotic location
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Bond engages in romantic shenanigans with one or more partners
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Bond faces a threat ranging from personal to world-ending
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Bond is menaced by a villain with some personal quirk
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Bond engages in a popular extreme sport
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Bond deals with a number of nameless goons plus at least one ascended chief goon, probably named, with their own particular quirk
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Bond foils the plans of the bad guy and has an epilogue with a romantic partner
Change some variables, rearrange the furniture a little, but this is basically every single James Bond movie for the last sixty two years, and we still love them! It makes me think that originality is overrated.
a fresh coat of paint on an old house is a good thing.
trying to remodel the damn thing to fit whatever is trendy here and now, ruins the whole house.
and we still love them! It makes me think that originality is overrated.
Yea, kinda what I’m saying too. People like repetition and familiarity just as they like surprise and shock.
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I’m with you on the covers analogy, but I feel the best covers take the source material and do something different with it to set it apart.
I haven’t seen aliens Romulus yet myself, but it sounds like the ‘cover’ here doesn’t really stand out or do anything different to the original.
Its a mixed bag. They do some cool and original things with the premise. There are also a lot of “point at screen because you remember this” moments. Overall its definitely one of the stronger entries in the franchise and definitely does enough new to justify its existence.
Don’t disagree. Sometimes though a relatively straight cover of something people like but in a more modern style can work well too. Bond films are maybe an example of that.
I haven’t watched the new film yet, but saying that 7 remakes of the first movie have been made is total bullshit.
Yeah … Alien is one of the greatest movies of all time and Aliens is a rare sequel which is almost as good as the original and it does it while switching primary genres from the first. 3 is weaker but is carried by set design and incredible acting.
Honestly, all of the Alien movies that don’t have “Predator” in the title are at worst above average films.
Anyway, Alien: Romulus is the seventh film about these particular monsters.
That’s not the same.
Why have we spent the past 45 years – which is longer than I’ve been alive – making seven different versions of the same film?
uhm… my bad
Why have we spent the past 45 years – which is longer than I’ve been alive – making seven different versions of the same film?
“Covenant” and “Prometheus” would’ve been killer movies to kick off a new IP.
I might be the old man shouting at clouds, but I’ve been turned off to all franchise “reboots”. Just sick of rehashes and revisits and the cute little “winks” these movies do to the previous installments. Have an original thought, damn.
The interesting thing is that I almost always hate remakes and reboots, but I love the Alien series. I think Covenant and a couple others were bad but generally they’re all still worth watching for me. I really enjoyed Romulus and I loved Prometheus. I do not get all the hate that movie got.
Because it was bad movie. Bad characters, nonsensical plot, and did nothing creative or interesting with the mythos. Sure, it was shiny and had need effects, but it was forgettable and empty otherwise. Just another big budget Hollywood movie.
People were looking for something memorable and epic and that expanded the mythos… Promethus was none of those.
Ugh yeah ok
Hollywood has retold so many stories they’re running out of things to come up with. Hence all the reboots and remakes :(
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What about please stop making BAD Alien movies?
Exactly! Romulus is not without its faults, but damnit if it isn’t a worthy follow-up to the first two films.
They should make alien movies but not Alien movies. Try something new, leave Alien alone, they fuck it up everytime!
meh, I enjoyed it.
This article would maybe have a point if they hadn’t finally released a good Alien movie for the first time in like 30 or 40 years.
What’s the point?
Um, same point as any franchise or reboot or remake: money. It’s easy too. Story is already there in one form or another; just add a few modern tweaks. You get the nostalgia kick from the original fans, and you get a boost from the younger fans who have heard all of the hyper from the OG fans. People have short term memories, so they get to rinse and repeat every few years.
Edit: for example… 🙄
Hey, I have an idea, let’s make another Spiderman/Batman/nope not going to continue this even as a joke…
Only if you can tell me their origin for the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the film.
Maybe if a radioactive spider bit a photographer… and then he grew up to become Batman!? (Bc he likes bats, what’s to question about that?)
And then a rich billionaire son loses his parents, becomes a ninja… and buys a costume to become Spiderman?! (again, he’s rich, he can buy whatever costume he wants!)
Capitalism: No
Also capitalism: We’re threatening a lawsuit for even saying that because we can, and you can’t afford the legal fees
Also capitalism: made the original film
I don’t think you’ll find the themes of the first film to be pro-capitalism.
Nonono.
I like alien movies.
Moar please. Just not sucky ones.
I love Alien. I want more. Give me more!
Haven’t seen it yet, but if it’s got xenomorphs I’m in. I like all the Alien movies, even the “bad” ones like 3 and 4. I even liked the original aliens vs predators.
Then you’ll love this!
Everyone here is cynical and hates on everything. Coming from a huge alien/aliens fan (like these are my #1 jam) it was an amazing movie. Best one since aliens imo. I think alien is better but this one had amazing pacing in comparison, as soon as shit hits the fan it’s intense until the credits roll.
Go see it. If you liked 4 (my god even I hated that one lol) go see it dude, guarantee you will love it.
Are you me?
You’re gonna have a blast then. I can already tell you’re gonna have a blast when it comes to all the facehuggers
Couldn’t disagree more. I loved this movie. I could critique aspects of it, but it was fucking stellar overall.
You’re missing the point. They’re not saying it’s a bad movie, just that it’s an unnecessary remake.
If a movie is good, I’m not sure how I follow that it is "unnecessary ". Nothing is necessary, outside of base needs.
Because it’s not better than the original and it costs millions of dollars to make. It’d be better to spend that time and resources on something that’s actually new.
So every movie needs to be better than the movie before it? If I were to talk about movies that were a waste of money, I wouldn’t be focused on the decent ones. Like 95% of movies made are total schlock.
Not at all. I’m just saying that if it’s a remake, there should be a reason for making it other than just money, ideally.
For which there clearly has been. Some people made the various sequels because they had a story to tell, some because there is an audience that wants more from the IP, some because they wanted a chance to take part in such a project, some because they saw them as an opportunity to share their particular craft.
Movie making is a massive group effort. I can assure you that there is not a single movie where the sole reason it gets made is for money. In fact, most of them go into the project thinking it’ll be a losing prospect from an accounting point of view.
I can assure you that there is not a single movie where the sole reason it gets made is for money.
And that’s my cue to leave. Thanks for the laugh.
If the actors, crew and other businesses benefitted from making the film that’s ok with me. Let them spend their money. Though I’m sorry if you feel cheated when you pay to see the movie.
I never said that.
No. Keep making them because Alien: Romulus was fuckin rad. It didn’t reinvent the wheel, I got kind of annoyed with the callbacks towards the middle/end part of the movie, but I want to see it again, if not in the theater I’ll rent it on streaming. It’s the 3rd best Alien movie imo, that’s high praise for such a robust franchise. Anyway, the writer of this article is an industry hack, Furiosa is great too. I’m out 🤟
I’m with you. I can’t wait to see Romulus again.
I’m so surprised at how much people liked this movie. I thought it sucked out loud. Alien and Aliens FTW!
This movie was overall damn good, brother those first two are such a high bar that is impossible to clear let’s be real
I don’t like it when there is not an internal consistency. In the first movie they established how long a face hugger is attached to someone before an alien hatches. This was ridiculously fast. And it grew from the size of a large baby to an 8 foot tall monster in less than 17 minutes. At one point they said that the blood neutralizes shortly after the creatures death. Will not in this movie.
It just felt to me like they essentially told the same story over again, in but not as well.
But I’m glad you liked it.
Now that I’m significantly less drunk and combative than last night (YEESH), I can react a littl better. I actually agree! 100 percent, I thought the inconsistencies involving the severely expedited gestation period and rapid growth was a bit of an ask from the audience. The callbacks got to the point where I was starting to wince over their abundance. Not the perfect Alien movie, (the first two already exist) but I thought it was fine and feel that it course corrected the trajectory of the franchise. People are actually excited for Alien movies again, that’s wild to me
I can agree to that. As bad as I think it was (heightened expectations) it was miles better than the absolute garbage fire that was alien 3+.
Alien and Aliens FTW but also I loved this movie! I love all three. First is the best one, but this is the first sequel that actually felt like a direct sequel in tone and style and worthy follow up to the original. Aliens is an amazing movie and I love it, but it is a totally different feel from the original.
That’s a very nice opinion. Too bad it’s wrong.
